Once Forgotten
by real-circus
Summary: Conflicts rise in a dangerous world, leading the modern replicas of the Sanzo-ikkou back to a time before recorded history that was once forgotten. Includes missing scrolls, fiesty assassins, nutty professors and a whole lot of plot.
1. Prologue: Intro to Characters

**A/N: **Yeah, this is an AU fic, but hey, they aren't students (except Goku)! I think I won't be very…original…if I were to write them all as students. Sanzo's an assassin (well aren't you surprised), Hakkai's a professor, Goku's still studying, and I made Gojyo *coughs* a part time DJ and Hakkai's friend. I didn't make an effort to change their names, sorry, but it's better this way—doesn't cause much confusion. 

Much GojyoXHakkai and SanzoXGoku in coming chapters. In other words, there's yaoi, so if you hate it, just… go away. 

**Once Forgotten **_by real-circus_

**Prologue: Introduction to Characters**

Professor Cho Hakkai settled down at the bar counter, ordered just a glass of plain water (which earned him a good stare or two from the customers) and turned to the TV in the corner. The sound of rock music was blasting in his ears, so the important announcements the newscaster read over the air couldn't be freaking heard. It didn't matter anyway to the young, energetic teens who were moving to the steady beat the DJ at the far end was playing. It was senseless to place a TV there, where no one would even register its presence. 

"Crazy night, ain't it, Professor Cho Hakkai?" a man sat next to him, and a beer came up almost instantly in front of him. "Thanks!" he said to the bartender who waved it off with an impatient hand. Hakkai recognized him as the DJ who played his jam at five to seven every night. It didn't amuse him one bit. 

"Mad, this is. You people let children listen to this—this—music?" Hakkai exclaimed, not facing the man properly. 

The man chose to ignore this. "Anyways, what's someone as classy as you doing in a dump like this?" 

The usual pick-up line, eh? He wasn't going for it. "Drinking a glass of water… and I'm not interested…"

"Hell! I wasn't _thinking_ of anything!" 

Hakkai blushed. Well, he knew the exact reason why he'd come to 'a dump like this'. It was because _he _worked here. Hakkai had an eye on him the moment he saw the man enter the club at five and retreat at around midnight. The man who was talking to him right now, to be exact. 

"Bet you get those all the time, don't you?" the DJ leaned against the counter, scrutinizing the flushed professor. "I'm Gojyo. Sha Gojyo. See you've been around here for the past few days… wanna tell me why?" 

"I was just thinking… just thinking…" Yeah, thinking of a certain redhead who was an inch away from him… Hakkai was unfocused and fidgety with him around. He felt like he needed to leave, but the man named Sha Gojyo made him talk throughout, bombarding him with meaningless questions that he could have answered himself. 

Hakkai felt right like this, talking to him. He felt as though he had done this before, with someone similar, but he was a lonely man—he had no time to love. He was married to his work. Soon, he heard himself talking about his discoveries and experiments… and Gojyo was trying hard to look interested, and smiled or made a comment when it was appropriate. He spoke of his discovery of a certain valuable scroll he'd found in the lost city of Chou An a few weeks back, how he couldn't manage to decipher the writings, and how… how it seemed so very familiar. 

In a darkened side of the noisy bar, a man in a sleek black jacket surveyed the two of them, who seemed to be deep in conversation, occasionally sucking in the nicotine of his finishing cigarette. Someone bumped into him, and he could've shot the person right there and then if he needn't have to keep his eyes on the professor and his new friend. The blond cursed under his breath, hiding the gleaming gun under his jacket which almost revealed itself when the idiot knocked into him. 

Every ten minutes or so, girls he didn't even know would come up to him and ask him to dance with them. Hah! Like they'll succeed! Here one comes again, he thought, shoving the girl away roughly. He was going to go mad a minute longer in this shit hole for rock 'n roll hungry youngsters. Damn the professor, damn everyone in this fucking dump! 

Another one of those bitches came up to him again, and that made him lose it. "I like your cool studs," she said, looking into his lilac eyes instead, when the studs she mentioned were on his left ear. _Bitch. _"They bring the color of your eyes out!" _Grey? Hell, I didn't know my eyes were grey! The fucking bitch. _

"Get the fuck away from me," he said coldly. He didn't have to shout it; the way he said it with that deep voice, laced with ice and hard stone, had enough effect on the young girl. 

He blessed the gods above (if there _were _any) as he watched her retreating form disappearing into the crowd. He made his way to the bar counter before hastily ordering a beer. "And make it FAST." The professor was but two seats away, and his conversation with the unknown did not amuse him one bit… or did it? 

"It had these weird writings all over, I couldn't read a thing!" Hakkai ran a hand through dark brown hair, slightly irritated. "It must have been over a thousand years old…"

The blond had his eyes set determinedly on the glass of foaming beer in front of him. The scroll the professor was talking about… why was _he_ so interested? Genjo Sanzo felt a certain possessiveness when it was mentioned over the news a week ago, and couldn't help but feel a little weird about the whole scroll thing. 

"A foreign friend of mine said it was called a sutra, or something like that…"

Sanzo's eyes flashed. 

"Very, very valuable, it is…"

Sanzo set his beer down, making his decision. He placed the money next to it and left, his eyebrows knotted in slight worry and anxiousness. "Watch where you're going!" he snapped at a young boy, eighteen or so, who had just collided with him. 

"S-Sorry…" the boy mumbled, looking up at him with those familiar golden eyes of his… fucking _familiar? _Get that out of your head, Genjo Sanzo. With that, the boy blended in with the crowd, away from his keen sight. Sanzo brushed that uncanny thought away, shoving his way to the back exit. 

He had more urgent matters to attend to... more urgent than keeping his eye on a boring professor or eyeing a certain eighteen-year-old boy in the pack of rowdy youths. 

A/N: How was it? How was it? Yeah, Goku had just a *little* part in this… *sobs* I promise more of him in the next chapter! Yes, it's Hakkai and Gojyo's first time meeting up… yaoi in later chapters *squeals in excitement* ^___^


	2. Chapter 1: Alliances

A/N: I do not own Saiyuki. Period. I own this fic though. Just so you know, Homura died before, right? Well, he's reincarnated too… *bursts out laughing* I know it's weird, but hey, it's just a fic, right? 

And Homura's also Sanzo's *clears throat* 'good' friend… oh FINE, they've got something going on, but Sanzo soon learns to get Homura's filthy hands off him, and finds out that Goku's a much better choice…weird, ain't it? That Sanzo and Homura……ah, you get it :] No intention of making this a HomuraXSanzo fic. 

**Once Forgotten **_by real-circus_

**Chapter One: Alliances **

****

Just as Sanzo was a foot away from the exit door, a sturdy arm came out of nowhere and latched itself on his slim waist. The gun was pulled out immediately, pointing at the other man's stomach within the darkness of their clothes, so that the weapon would not be seen. Sanzo scowled. "Ch. It's you," he spat. Homura brought his body closer, so that Sanzo could feel the heat coming from the man. 

"What have you got for me?" he breathed into the blonde's ear. 

"Information on a damn scroll." Violet eyes flashed dangerously in all their beauty. "Not something you'd be interested in, I'm sure."

"I wasn't talking about that…" the blue and gold eyes that were regarded so fearfully by others didn't scare Sanzo one bit as they glinted evilly. He crushed his arid lips on Sanzo's, and the latter did naught but stay very still. Homura broke the kiss abruptly. "I need to relieve myself…"

"Head for the little boys' then," Sanzo replied, emotionlessly. 

"Good idea," Homura smirked, half-dragging the man to the nearest bathroom in uncontrollable lust. He scared the men in there away with Sanzo's gun which he'd somehow stole from and slammed the door shut, much to their curiosity. 

Sanzo brought his legs up to wind themselves around Homura's waist. Their interlocked bodies crashed against the walls of the men's bathroom and found their way into a single cubicle, lips still firmly locked together in mad lust. Homura tore the material that stood in between them and rubbed his body against Sanzo's in ecstasy. 

~*~*~*~

Goku stumbled into the washroom wearily, puking out what had been alcohol a few minutes ago into the nearest sink. He held his face above it for another five minutes before throwing up more of the vile stuff. He really should have stayed at home…

He looked up into the mirror blankly, taking in his own sunken image that was staring right at him. _What have I become? _He rubbed the eye bags beneath the golden orbs and washed his face clean of the smell of smoke from the bar. That was when he heard it. It was faint, but audible. A groan, a low one—coming from one of the locked cubicles. Whoever that person was, he sure had a hard time relieving himself… must have been constipation. 

The person inside slammed his fist against the flimsy wall of the cubicle. _Whoa… what has this person been eating, man? _

"Erm… are you alright in there?" Goku inquired politely, knocking softly on the door. There was silence at first, then the latch was unfastened rather hastily and a raven-haired man appeared, fuming. Goku shyly noticed a lump of discarded clothing at a corner. Another man was inside, pulling up his trousers, face the color of a rose in full bloom. It was the same man he'd bumped into tonight; Goku felt himself blush. 

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HERE!!!" the dark-haired man barked, shielding his lover from sight. "GET OUT! YOU DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, YOU HEAR?!" 

"Y-Yes… s-s-sorry," the poor boy stuttered, groping around his back for the exit. 

When he did leave, Homura turned to Sanzo. "Let's get back to where we left off, before we were so rudely interrupted…" his lips came to ravish Sanzo's again, but the slighter man pulled away. 

"I've got to go. Business. The professor… and the scroll." Sanzo gathered up the rest of his clothes and began to leave. 

"Another excuse again… when will you see that you've always been wrong?" 

"I'm not wrong, Homura," Sanzo replied fiercely, adjusting his collar. "It wasn't in the job description, was it?" 

"Oh, so you think this is part of your job? What is your fucking problem? If you think playing with emotions is going to get you a higher pay, think again. I know how your mind works, Genjo Sanzo. Why do you think I'm your partner?"

"I work alone. I succeed that way. I don't go seducing my partner… and set him up in the end." Sanzo picked up the gun which Homura dropped on the slippery floor. 

"You're talking about me playing Zenon out, eh?" Homura tried hard to keep his cool. "Well, you were in it too… I told you everything." 

Sanzo polished his gun with a velvet cloth before placing it back into his belt. "He fucking died for you, Homura," he said seriously, facing the man. "I can't imagine anyone doing that for _you… _I'm going now…"

Once out, Sanzo took in a deep breath. The stench from the washroom still lingered around him. What a filthy place to get fucked! And by Homura, of all people! Not that he minded in any way, of course… he and Sanzo had started off rather well in the beginning, but Sanzo was put off when Homura's previous partner was killed because of the man. After that, Sanzo became Zenon's replacement… and a little more than just Homura's friend. 

If truth be told, Sanzo hated the man… hated him to bits after Zenon's death. Nothing could change that. 

Smoke filled the night air again as Sanzo lifted the stick to his lips… to get rid of the foul taste of Homura's tongue in his mouth. He only did it with Homura to let him believe they were still an item… and Genjo Sanzo never resorted to such things before. It was strange for him to still cling onto his partner like some kind of lost puppy... hell, his job depended on Homura, right? Without the man, he wouldn't be standing here right now. 

"Excuse me, sir…" 

Sanzo looked down to meet a head of light brown hair. The boy's face was covered by his thick bangs. 

"I… I was just wondering sir… if you could spare me a smoke… I'll be so grateful…"

That voice was just too familiar. Sanzo's hand reached out to chuck the boy under the chin, so that their gazes met properly. It was the boy from before. The boy whom he kept bumping into… the boy who saw him in the cubicle with Homura…

"You," Sanzo said nothing more. He was just thankful the youth came in to spoil Homura's fun. It was really fun taunting the man. 

The child gulped, too afraid to release the stranger's grasp on his chin. "I—I didn't see anything, mister! I'm sorry if I—if I embarrassed you back ther--"

"What's your name, kid?" Sanzo demanded coolly, staring hard into the golden eyes, as though trying to read his thoughts. 

"G-Goku, sir. Son Goku."

"Have we met before?" Sanzo inquired. That meek voice, those golden eyes, they were all too familiar. He remembered them from before, but couldn't recall anything…

"I don't believe so, sir…" 

And guess who decided to come strolling out the exit like that… Homura wouldn't be very pleased to see his Sanzo standing ever so close to another like that… Sanzo grinned inwardly—it was time to end it all… with Homura… and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. 

Homura stopped dead in his tracks as he watched his former lover crush his lips on the stranger's ruthlessly. 

**A/N:** BAH! No more HomuraXSanzo!!! Haha! Too bad, Homura… and erm… sorry if Sanzo was being OOC. He had to… I mean, in this fic, he didn't have such a bad childhood, so the outcome would be different ne? Opps…sorry for the lack of HakkaiXGojyo in this chapter _ I really wanted to write it……but for the sake of updating quickly…you know….

Sorry if there were lots of errors in this chapter. I didn't have time to read it again. 


	3. Chapter 2: Schemes

**A/N: **Memo… memo… Sanzo did NOT have a terrible childhood in this fic, so you'll notice him being a little more, er… meek…nah, 'submissive' is the word. Yeah, you realized that he even let Homura screw him in the bathroom back there :P *sob* poor Sanzo………….but I have my fun^^ 

Thank you for reviewing people! 

**Sk8er Boi: **Erm… sorry if I disappointed you for not having some HakkaiXGojyo in the previous chapter. I hope this one brightens your day^^

**zion****: **Don't worry… I'll update fast as soon as my exams are over ^^ Thanks for liking the fic so much ^___^

**koureshin: **Yay~! You reviewed! *dies from happiness*

**Shiroki**

**Guardian of Jupiter**

**sun: **Yeah, I like SanzoXGoku better too ^_-

**Shia**

**gallatica: **Love your chocolate ^^

**Once Forgotten **by real-circus

**Chapter Two: Schemes **

Goku was stunned for five full seconds. He loathed the stranger for doing that, and yet, it felt so right… as though he'd done so a very long time ago. He welcomed the warm tongue that had entered his mouth so slowly, almost hesitantly… before everything stopped. The raven-haired dude didn't look at all pleased. Goku remembered, in his blind ecstasy, that the two older men had been in a most intimate position in the cubicle back there… they must be lovers… _and I'm so dead…_

Homura had roughly thrust him aside, punching him in the face fiercely, before turning to his past lover… who was currently busy sprinting away from the alley. 

"Sanzo!" Homura bellowed, silently thankful that there was no one else around to witness this. "Sanzo! You bastard! I could've made it up to you if you wanted me to! Hell, I'm fucking sorry alright!? Come back! Come back!" 

The billowing black jacket swept the mist in its way, its owner quickening his neck-breaking pace, if that was even possible. Sanzo didn't know why he did it. It was perhaps because of the fact that he still was in Homura's control… and he was frigging afraid of the man. _And what the hell was he so sorry about…? Fucking liar…_

"Hey!" Goku shouted after him, dodging one of Homura's painful blows. "Wait! Wait for me! I'm coming with you! Stop!" 

Goku raced down the lonely, desolate streets, catching a vague glimpse of black leather from time to time and following it. Sanzo turned into a corner swiftly, scaling the rough walls of the abandoned building with cat-like speed and elegance. He'd been quite familiar with the place, as he used to run to its shelter after he and Homura had a fight. This was one place Homura would never suspect him to be… and the training he was given back at the Academy helped him out too. 

"Wait, mister!" Goku cried, spotting the shadow on the high wall that was moving frantically up. 

"Go. Away." Sanzo clambered onto the first landing and slid into the darkness. 

"NO!" the boy was persistent. "You put me in this mess, and I won't let you get away with it!" He started finding cracks on the faded wall to grasp on to and soon landed on the second floor just as quickly. His natural agility amazed him sometimes. 

It took him a full minute to find the blond sitting on the vast window sill, legs outstretched, and smoking again. His gaze never left the view outside even as Goku perched himself next to him. Sanzo's eyes were glazed, and confusion clouded his thinking. Only one thing settled itself on his mind right now, and it was the thing that he should have thrown out a long time ago: Homura. 

The building was so run-down and flimsy it could have collapsed all at once if Goku tried to stomp on the splintering floor with a great force. Sanzo didn't seem to mind the poor conditions though. He just sat there, somewhat sorrowfully, rushing the smoke down his throat to ease his discomfort. Sure, he was saddened by the painful fact that he'd actually did that in front of Homura. He never even noticed the boy who was staring at him furiously now, forcing answers out of him with that threatening look in his eyes. It was very unlike Goku to do so. 

"Why did you run away?" he asked, failing to sound harsh. "Why did you leave me to deal with—with your lover?"

Sanzo chose not to answer, irritating the boy further. He was caught up in a tangle of memories of when he and Homura had been together. Strange, it was, for him to dwell on that, even though their relationship was mostly made out of Homura's lust and willingness on Sanzo's part. Yeah, they had sex all the time, Homura always having the pleasure of being on top. He'd always been the more domineering one…

_"…You'll be Zenon's replacement from now on," Kougaiji said, behind his documents. "I'm quite sure you and Homura would make a good team, bringing in the fact that the two of you are really, really good friends, I hear." Sanzo felt the smirk teasing him. _

_"We're not into anything serious… just fucking each other senseless, that's all."_

_Kougaiji was taken aback by the open reply, but his evil grin widened slightly. "Oh? What an unlikely thing for you to say, Sanzo. Hn… Homura's a lucky man to have you." _

_Sanzo was too used to this to care to make a defensive retort. He just stood there, motionless, even as the office door swung open to reveal the dark-haired man. Those mismatched eyes scared Kougaiji sometimes… _

_"Ah, Homura," he said, gesturing the man to come forward. "The replacement is here. I believe you know Genjo Sanzo who was previously from the logistics department? One of the finest man to join the Academy indeed…"_

_"Yeah I know him," Homura drawled, winking at a rather impassive Sanzo, who just made an impatient sound and turned his head away. "We're an item."_

_Sanzo blushed at that. He hated being so bashful when it came to Homura. It made him so sick. _

_Even before they could reach their jet-black Mercedes to get to where Professor Cho Hakkai was supposed to be, they were thrown (yet again) into the nearest available room by their raging hormones… and when Sanzo woke up, the whole department had their curious eyes on him. Homura was friggin' gone. Damn the bastard. _

"Hello?" Goku waved a hand in front of the blank face. He started slightly when his wrist was caught right away. "Could you let go of me?" he asked politely. 

Instead of releasing his firm grip, Sanzo did the unthinkable. He drew the boy closer and kissed him again, deeper this time, and Goku actually yielded. _Let Homura find us… let him see me like this… I want to see him get mad again… it's so… satisfying. _Sanzo pulled the slighter body up so that Goku laid sprawled on his torso. 

Sanzo hardly had the upper hand in his previous relationship. This feeling felt so different. It was… fun… being the one in control; being able to savor the sweetness of the tanned neck instead of providing it, and being able to slide his tongue into the willing mouth instead of submitting to the other… To add to his arousal, the boy named Son Goku was inexperienced, and unsure of what to do. Sanzo, obviously being the more dominant one this time, was having the time of his life. 

"Stop," the youth mumbled, pulling back to gaze into lilac eyes. "What… what do you think you're doing? I'm not your lover… I can't… you already have…"

"You mean the asshole back there? It's over. It had always been from the start. I want a new one."

Sanzo's hands found their way under the boy's shirt and found the muscles which tensed up under his touch. He slowly licked Goku's sweet pink lips seductively. He'd learnt how to do that when he was with Homura. Goku, being the innocent and naïve child that he was, took the gesture as one of _love. _He couldn't tell the obvious difference between love and lust, which now shone in Sanzo's beautiful eyes. 

Now that their faces were an inch away, Goku noticed that those amethyst beauties were slightly droopy at the ends, making them ever so… so… sexy, just like every other part of him. Goku stiffened when he felt the coldness of metal upon his bare arm. _Oh gods! This guy's got a freaking gun! _He inched away immediately, sensing danger. 

"Remember something for me, won't you?" Sanzo said, pointing the weapon directly at Goku's startled face. "We never met." _But his kiss felt so familiar though… _"We never did anything. There was no gun. You never saw me escape," he added with a slight tinge of disappointment. 

Goku sat back, frowning, almost in tears. 

"What are _you _crying about now?" Sanzo demanded to know, cocking the gun higher, so that it was aimed straight between Goku's teary eyes. 

Big mistake, Genjo Sanzo. BIG mistake. The kid started bawling madly, hiding his face in the folds of his arms. 

"What is it?" Sanzo asked in a gentler tone, lowering the trusty gun. 

"I… it's—it's just that… that I've been… in a lot of—of mess lately," Goku said, in between harsh sobs. "And… and this isn't helping my situation! Damn it, I tried… tried to take alcohol tonight, and I—I threw it all up… this is… the last thing I wanted…"

"To be rejected," Sanzo said monotonously. He needed to be out of here, _pronto, _and now this bloody kid comes along and spoils the fucking plan with his puppy dog eyes and tears all running down his pretty face. Sanzo could not keep himself from it. "What the fuck happened to you, kid?" 

"……Hell, I was just… I… I killed a man…" 

The older man felt the silent penetrate through his flow of thoughts. Sure, killing was his job, he was good at it, but looking at the boy in front of him right now… no one would ever suspect this innocent little creature to have actually taken a life. 

"…You? I should laugh. The bastard must have done something terrible to you."

"T-That's not the worst part!" Goku wailed on. "He—he was my best friend! N-Nataku tried to—to kill me!"

Sanzo felt his heart stop at that. Nataku? Nataku Taishi from the same department he works in? Oh fuck, he's dead now. This boy freakin' _killed_ him? Whoa. The kid's a _real_ killer… but he forgot what assignment Nataku was told to accomplish. Something about a boy… he remembered that. Hell, with Nataku's dad as the head of department, he would definitely not dare try to ruin anything because of a simple friendship. No wonder Nataku wasn't seen in the Academy for days… he was dead already.

"Where's the body?" Sanzo questioned, failing to cover up his anxiety. 

When the boy was too shaken to answer, he refused to press on with the subject. He reached out his hand to grip the kid's shoulder, but drew it back immediately when he registered what he was doing. 

"Crying won't help," he whispered. _I learnt so myself…_

~*~*~*~

"Oh, Gojyo…" Hakkai moaned softly as the man he just came to know sank his teeth into the side of his neck. He arched beneath the bed, wrapping his long legs around Gojyo's waist, pulling the man closer. 

"Don't… don't leave… you will when you're done, won't you?" Hakkai's eyes reflected sorrow and fear. 

_So he _did_ know… _

"I—I don't like one-night stands…" Hakkai went on, turning away to face his bedside clock. Midnight. "I hate them. First you have your fun then you try to run away to seek some other sport…I--"

"How the hell did you know all that?" Gojyo pushed back his long red hair, so as to see the other man clearly. "We only just met…"

Hakkai froze. Gojyo was right—how _did _he know all those things about him? No, he certainly never tried mind-reading before. The remark left his lips so smoothly, so naturally, it was queer as the two had never met before until tonight… right? Right? Hakkai smiled, as it was the only thing he could allow himself to do now. Smile… yes, it felt so right…

Gojyo was having thoughts exploding in his head like fireworks. That smile… _it's so familiar. Now where the heck have I seen that one before? Hakkai… even the name sounds recognizable… I just can't bloody bring anything to memory… nothing at all… _

~*~*~*~

"Look, kid, I gotta go." Sanzo swung his leg over the window sill. "Remember—none of this happened. We never had this damned conversation, you hear?"

"What conversation?" 

_Good enough answer for me. _Sanzo scaled down the rough wall steadily, landing swiftly on two feet on the ground floor. He left the boy there, at his hiding place, where he could at least calm down and get the thought of death out of his head… and speaking of death…

This Professor Cho Hakkai better be alone and defenseless just like Homura had told him. Even if the man had some sort of defense, Sanzo was confident that he'll be able to penetrate it. 

~*~*~*~

_What was that sound?_

Gojyo got up from the bed, waking Hakkai up in the process. He put a gentle finger on Hakkai's swollen lips, pointing at the door of the bedroom with his other. They got changed in silence, fearing of what might come into the room and harm them. Hakkai was still slightly puzzled, as Gojyo placed a protective arm around his smaller form while opening the door sluggishly. 

Hakkai kept close to the warm embrace wherever they went, in the darkness. There were times when Gojyo would stop for some reason and pull the man nearer, if that was even possible. Hakkai loved the feeling, but apprehension filled his heart even more as they reached the entrance of the lab. 

Sanzo could have cursed loudly, if it wasn't for the sake of not getting caught. He'd missed a crack in the wall in his swirl of frenzied thoughts, falling ungracefully on the marble floor. Surely the idiot must have been home by now… he had to be more careful for god's sake! 

Fuck the bloody boy whom he met tonight! The little imp was now crawling in his mind! The kiss, the touch, the crying, he replayed them all in his mind's eye like a spoilt piece of film that kept repeating scenes itself. Something about those golden eyes and adorable character spooked Sanzo. Golden—the same color of Homura's right eye… (A/n: It _was_ the right eye, wasn't it?) Were the two related in any way?  

Sanzo found himself pulling the gun out instantly, arming himself, when he heard the shuffling of feet just outside the lab door. The scroll, which held so much value and mystery the world failed to solve, was about a good ten feet away from him, almost begging to be stolen… or _returned. _

Sanzo waited for it to come, and it sure did. 

The door opened, without a noise, but to Sanzo's sensitive ears, it creaked loudly against the deafening silence. He lifted the weapon up, taking aim… and realizing the professor wasn't alone. _Fuck that redhead DJ! Foiled my plan… I'll kill him for that. _In his rage, Sanzo was too slow to notice the groping hand that switched the lab lights on, blurring his vision momentarily. 

"There he is!" Gojyo cried, pouncing on the assassin but landing on the floor flat instead. 

Sanzo kicked his face once, and that was enough to force the blood out of his nose. Hakkai froze in fear as the gun was aimed directly at his head. The trigger clicked…

"NO!" 

He opened his teary eyes to see Gojyo tearing at the man clad in black. The gun was out of reach for the moment…

Sanzo felt the weight on top of him lift. He winced slightly as he was heaved on his feet by strong arms… familiar arms...

"Homura!" he exclaimed, blushing a little as his partner tightened his grip, causing his face to be an inch away from the other man's. 

He registered the emotionless visage as they turned away to face the sutra. Everything happened in a blur—the scroll was taken, Gojyo got up again, Sanzo shot at him, and Homura escaped by the fire exit with Sanzo still in his clutch—all this happened in nearly three seconds. 

**A/n: **Yeah, Sanzo's falling for Goku… finally! But I'm not going to make Homura give up that easily. Surprise, surprise… Kougaiji's in this too, so's Nataku… I wasn't kidding when I said ALL Saiyuki characters (save the Goddess of Mercy) were reincarnated and were destined to meet up again…

What to be expected in next chapter: Well, it will be a really late update cos I've got exams next week. Anyway, at least two more characters will make their appearances… and everyone's starting to play each other out. Horrible, betrayal. 

Forgive me for errors in this chapter. No time, yet again, to check. 


	4. Chapter 3: Betrayal

**A/n: Warnings: ***Mild* Sanzo torture. Okay, okay, not that mild… Shounen-ai, violence, blood…you have been warned. 

Sorry for Sanzo's sudden submissive self. He had to change after reincarnation, right? And the next update will be ever so late. Gomen! 

Again, sorry for the amount of Sanzo-torture in this chapter. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Sanzo fan—I love the guy! I hate doing this to him… but it would be so dry if there wasn't just a *little* ruthlessness on Homura's part…

**Once Forgotten **_by real-circus_

**Chapter 3: Betrayal **

"Gojyo! Oh gods…" Hakkai flinched at the amount of blood. _Do not puke… do NOT puke… not now. _He hated blood for some reason; must have been a family inheritance. He shuddered as the warm liquid touched his hands. His vision went blurry all of a sudden and he felt faint. 

Groping about for the new medicine he conjured up the day before, he almost slipped on the puddle of red now staining the smooth floor. Assuring his friend of lesser pain, Hakkai rubbed some of the chemical on the bloody wound, shutting his eyes firmly as another sprout of blood escaped. Gojyo screamed and withered in inexpressible pain but did nothing to stop the professor. 

"You'll be alright, I promise… I love you… don't go and leave me here all alone…"

A shaky but firm hand reached out to grab his arm. "I won't."

~*~

"Let go of me. I can run myself," Sanzo said, as his legs kicked at Homura's shins. The man refused to release him, even when they reached the ground floor. "Let GO, I say!"

Homura did just that—before packing a good blow at Sanzo's face, sending him skidding back to hit against the graffiti-stained wall. Sanzo felt, while his frozen heart crumbled to nothingness, the trickle of blood down his trembling lips. Rage consumed him, fear maddened him, and strength failed him, as Homura dragged the frail creature into the front seat in their waiting Mercedes. 

Homura drove on in silence, ignoring the soft voice that kept calling his name. The voice was meek, but beneath it was a bottle of sealed loath, waiting to be discharged. 

"Homura…" Sanzo said again, in the gentlest tone he could manage. 

The car came to an awkward halt outside an abandoned building fifteen minutes later. The same building he always ran to, Sanzo realized, to his horror. Did Homura know? Was the boy named Goku still lurking here? Homura would surely kill him if he was. 

"Fuck!" Sanzo cursed, when Homura got out of the car and locked it with the control. "Let me out, you fucker! Goddamit! I hate you!" 

Homura could only frown deeper, seeing Sanzo kicking furiously about and hearing muffled shouting within the car. He had to let the man out, before he wrecked any part of the precious thing. He unlocked it and opened the door for Sanzo himself. 

"About time!" Sanzo screamed at him. He was silenced immediately when Homura hauled him out the car by his hair. Sanzo felt so much like a wild animal like this, thrashing madly about, tearing his claws at the hunter and bearing his fangs, but he couldn't help but wince painfully as Homura tugged at his hair even more. 

"Stop it!" he yelled, clawing at the other man's sleeved arm, as his body swept the dusty floor. Tears pooled his eyes unconsciously as Homura towed him up a flight of stairs, still clutching the handful of blond strands. Sanzo was sure he would have yanked it off if he pulled an ounce harder. "Homura!" 

The raven-haired man disregarded the persistent cries of his victim, and enjoyed it, to some extent. He threw the animal on the floor roughly, noting the droplets formed around the amethyst eyes and the blood flowing down the cherry lips. He pinned the shivering man down with his weight, taking advantage of his momentary weakness. 

He stifled a muttered 'no' coming from the blonde's lips with his mouth. The two grappled at each other, Homura trying his best to keep his former lover down on the dusty floor, and Sanzo trying vainly to shove him off. A hungry tongue rolled over his own, and he quivered involuntarily. He felt the bulging arousal under all the thick fabric of leather, and shivered at that too. 

"You little slut, you," Homura whispered, his liquor-laced breath hitting Sanzo right in the face. "Apologize to me for what you did tonight!" 

"Homura… you've been drinking," Sanzo merely said, licking his cut lip. 

Homura grabbed his hair once again and knocked his head hard on the wooden floor. Sanzo whimpered against his will. He didn't plead for Homura to stop torturing him like this. His pride was there for him at times like this. But he did fear when Homura started stripping in front of him… _Oh shit! _

"What are you doing?" Sanzo said, failing to conceal the dread in his voice. He sat up, but the stronger man pushed him back down. His hands reached downwards to unbuckle Sanzo's belt. "Quit it!" he desperately fumbled about, getting as far out of reach from Homura. 

"APOLOGIZE FIRST!" the drunken man roared, pulling Sanzo closer by his hips. 

"I did nothing wrong," he replied coolly, slapping filthy hands off his body. 

Sanzo almost regretted the action. What came up next wasn't expected. Sanzo blushed from the humiliation and pain—Homura had slapped him—right in the face. No, it wasn't a box or punch; it just had to be a slap. It made him feel like some sort of abused wife or something. Homura took the bruised face in a comforting hand, caressing the eyes and lips with the other, and Sanzo let him. 

"Why won't you apologize and come back to me? It would make things much easier for the both of us… don't make me claim you back by force."

Sanzo knew what the man meant when he said he'd _claim _him back. 

"Fuck you. You never owned me. Never will. I'm not yours to fuck to sleep anymore. I'll no longer let my body be your temple! Let go!" 

In a swift movement, he kicked Homura between the legs, making him groan in pain. His features twisted in discomfort as he ground his nails into the floor. 

"I can't work with you anymore," Sanzo said, straightening himself up. "I'll never forgive you for what you did…"

"You're just fucking _afraid _of me, aren't you?" Homura regained control of himself and stood up too, diverse eyes blazing with lust and fury. "Afraid I might betray you too, afraid that I might _leave _you, so you left me first…"

"Wrong again, Homura. Wrong yet again…" Sanzo faced the open window. 

"Admit it! You just hate being wrong. I know you too well, Genjo Sanzo… aren't you even afraid I might turn these things against you? Quit acting all brave and proud—inside, you're just a weak little child, seeking assurance and a back to rest upon… and it so happened that I was the first one who offered one to you. You didn't know how lost you were when you first joined the Academy…"

"Shut UP, Homura!" Sanzo banged his fist against a cracked wall. "You don't know shit about me, so just shut it! Shut the hell UP! _I hate you_, can't you get that through your fucking head?"

"You hate me, huh? Then was that confession two years ago just bullshit? You said it, you said the exact words, 'I love you, Homura' right after I left my mark under your skin… you loved that, didn't you?" Homura encircled his arms around Sanzo's slim, almost feminine-like waist and nibbled on his right earlobe teasingly. "You loved it too when I kissed the tears away… did _it_ hurt?" 

Sanzo shoved the arms away, disgusted. "You don't know real love! You only know lust. You can't really love me because you're already busy fucking me to death! You've got no bloody time for me when I want to be with you! And when you do, you just throw me into the nearest bed and screw me again! Is that what you think I am, Homura? Your temple?! I don't give free services, you know! I--!" Sanzo paused for a breath of air. He hesitated… "I… I loved you then. I just went with the flow because I had feelings for you. I guess I must have been the most pathetically emotional freak then… but you soon found yourself that bitch, Renrei."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Sanzo!?" Homura raised his hands in the air. "She was nothing to me! She meant nothing to me! Hell, stop accusing me of so many things! You sound as though you've wanted to tell me this for a long time! Why didn't you? But we're square now, aren't we? You got yourself that kid tonight!"

"Homura, I…"

"He meant nothing to you. Just say it!"

Sanzo, in a state of confusion and fear and anger, rubbed his temples to sooth the coming headache. _I hate you, Homura… I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. Don't come near me… I hate you, I hate you! Get out of my life before I kill you! _

"Don't come near me… I hate you," he voiced out these venomous thoughts, curling up into a tight ball below the window. "Get out of my life… before I _kill _you. I mean it," he added, drawing out the gun to make his point. 

Homura sighed, defeated. He threw the stolen sutra at the floor next to Sanzo. "Fine then… take the sutra with you, if you will. It's none of my concern now."

As Homura descended down the stairs, Sanzo had a mad, insane urge to call his name, fasten his legs around Homura's waist, and indulge in the same passion as before. He tilted his head up at the sound of the car engine bursting into life. Homura _was_ leaving him. Sanzo willed himself to feel anything but regret and sorrow. He could live without clinging onto the man. He had to. 

"Fucking asshole… useless, bloody…" 

Sanzo clutched the part of his hair Homura had hung on to, realizing the pain only came at that very instant. It hurt. It hurt badly, and it wasn't foreign to him. He had been used to this sort of physical abuse back at the Academy… and speaking of the Academy, he had to find a way to tell Kougaiji about the whole incident. He would blame Kougaiji for putting them together. He would blame everything on him… _that's right… _and maybe Homura was true when he pointed out that Sanzo hated being wrong…

_Two years before… when it all started…_

It started to drizzle, and Homura was relatively concerned about his companion's trembling hands and uncertain gestures. He sat at their car's hood, watching as Sanzo fumbled about with his gun with freezing fingers. It soon became a sort of sport for Homura to gaze at the blond from time to time, studying the dainty fingers as they lit a cigarette, or the perfect body that was just begging to be tortured, or the attractive features and pretty drooping eyes that sent heads turning and drivers swerving across roads. Well, it did happen once with their first vehicle (a sports car without a roof). You could imagine the attention they were given with their faces exposed…

The rain was pelting down at them, and Homura blushed when he noticed Sanzo's loose top cling onto his slim figure with wet. It was certainly a sight to behold. The trickles of water ran down smooth, flawless skin, dripping off the ends of his light-colored hair. Sanzo licked his lips, tasting the rainwater on them. He hung his head back, letting the showers soak him to the skin. Homura could not keep his own reins from slipping from his control. He stood up and, striding to Sanzo, grabbed hold of the younger man. 

"…You'll catch a cold like this," he said, grinning. "Let me warm you up…"

Sanzo, just a little more innocent and green then, didn't know what Homura meant when he said that. Homura decided to be gentle on him for now; after all, it was their first time. 

~*~

Sanzo felt Homura raise his hips above the muddy ground. He grew afraid, but didn't show it. He dug his fingers into the wet soil, gasping and panting harshly, twisting and thrashing about wildly, as he felt Homura enter him. He bit his lip, in order not to weep when it became painful. 

When Homura's broader form straddled the young blonde's, sheltering his face from the painful rain, Sanzo let his hands explore the lean body above his, unsure and timid, not sure if what he was doing was right… but one thing _was_ certain…

"I love you, Homura…"

The man's face loomed closer, and kissed the salt-stained face lovingly. He had been waiting for this. Finally, after all his courting and wooing, it had come down to this—the thing he'd been waiting for anxiously, so desperately that he'd made the first move, and poor innocent Sanzo was just too naïve to understand what this was all about. 

"Let's go. The owners must have arrived. Go do your thing, baby." Homura helped Sanzo up to his feet, pulling clothes on his white body. They departed with a deep, lustful kiss, and the killings began. 

~*~

"You poor thing, you!" the woman cried, draping Sanzo with towels from the drawer. "I'm sure my husband wouldn't mind if I let you borrow some of his clothes… poor, shivering thing, you… I'll go prepare a warm bath."

The second after the old woman closed the bathroom door behind her, Sanzo began to rummage through every shelf and store room for the prized object… red staff-like weapon… with golden orbs at the ends… he remembered the details clearly. A gunshot pierced through his line of thinking, and he dropped whatever he was holding. 

"What are you waiting for?" Homura appeared from nowhere, a trail of smoke emitting from the mouth of his gun. Sanzo had dreaded for this moment to come. "Move it!"

Sanzo obeyed his senior, entering the hall in silence. Yes, the owner of the house was here, startled and alarmed by the gunshot. He got up hurriedly as Sanzo came up to him, gun raised… gun raised… pointing straight at his forehead… three seconds passed…

"Fuck it!" 

Sanzo flinched, as blood splattered on his pure skin, tainting it for life. Homura had attacked the man from behind, and Sanzo was there to catch the lifeless being in his quivering arms. He dropped his gun in disgust, letting the body slump to the floor. He had never seen a real death before, not right before his eyes, at least. 

"What were you thinking?" Homura scolded, just as a master would scold a careless apprentice. "You fool! Just one second and you would have been dead! The asshole had a gun for fuck's sake! Get out of here! I found the Nyoibou. Make yourself useful and get out to start the damn car!"

Sanzo could only feel his fingers shake violently, and every cell in his living being was vibrating with his madly-thumping heart. He brought his hands up to cup his mouth. He was going to throw up for sure, he knew it… and he didn't want to do it in front of Homura. He swallowed the vile liquid down his dry throat, jerking aggressively as he caught sight of the blood on his hands…

"Sanzo! Get a hold of yourself! Damn!" Homura seized both of his wrists and rubbed the boiling veins. It served nothing to improve Sanzo's condition, and he bent lower to whisper soothing things in his ear, just like a rider would do to calm his fear-stricken steed. "I'm here… there's nothing here to harm you… nothing at all…"

_It's just blood… just blood… it can always be washed away… _Sanzo kept telling himself, to cool his frayed nerves. 

Everything was just a blank state of mind after that. Homura had heaved him back to their car, with the stolen staff in one hand. The police would be notified sooner or later. 

_Back to present time…_

Sanzo was back at his mansion at Street 39 (A/n: ^__) cursing away in the bathroom in front of the mirror. He looked as dead as ever. The bruise Homura had given him an hour ago was starting to show near his right eye, in an angry black and blue spot. It was over with him. _Over, over, OVER! Over with Homura and me… fuck him! I hate him! _Dabbing the swell with a soaked towel, he let the water run down his ruined good looks, cursing at everything he saw and touched. 

He carefully and silently plastered a white piece of cotton over the bruise, concealing it from everyone like he concealed his fears. He looked like an idiot, like a worn prisoner of his own mistakes… like the outcome of Homura's selfishness and fury. Damn the man. Damn him for everything! Damn him for taking away his purity two years ago, damn him for taking advantage of him at times, damn him for… everything! And yet, Sanzo still hung onto the man all this time. He damned himself for that. 

~*~*~*~

The bar was the best place to go to. Everyone didn't even bother to take note of the bandage near his eye; injury was one of the most common things one would see here. The redhead DJ wasn't here, probably still in bed with the gunshot wound. Sanzo's aim was ever so accurate—as usual. He'd shot the man right in the left shoulder, knowing it would cause anything else but death, of course unless the man was a weakling. He needed some answers, and he thought the best way to do it was to not kill anyone—yet—so that the professor wouldn't be so pent-up or emotionally broken-down when he confronted him. 

So what if it meant betraying Homura, his long-time partner and ex-lover? No, Sanzo didn't feel like killing anyone tonight. He really felt like fucking someone senseless, someone to replace Homura's place. The dancers on the disco floor were getting him rather high, and to his displeasure and embarrassment, some girls noticed and tried to entice him with their sweet words and sexy strides. None came even as close as a meter away. Sanzo made sure of that. 

"Anything strong, that's all…"

That voice—Sanzo turned to face the person next to him. "Goku," he said unconsciously. 

"I-It's y-you…" Goku stuttered, frightened. He edged away but then saw the bandaged face. "What happened to… oh, sorry," he said quickly, remember what had happened the night before. Sanzo and his furious lover must have gotten into a fight and he got seriously hurt. "Did he say sorry?" Goku asked boldly, then cupping his mouth with his hands after he realized what came out. 

Sanzo didn't seem to mind when he said, "Say sorry? Fuck him. He never meant any of that bullshit! What the hell are you so interested about? Get lost, kid."

"What? You almost—almost tried to rape me last night--!"

"Rape you?" Sanzo's eyes laughed mockingly at him. "Hell, who'd wanna do _that_ for? Besides, I only just got to know you yesterday… I'm not that desperate! Get out of my life! I don't need anyone! We never talked last night, remember? Gosh, you've got a goldfish's memory!"

"Well I'm sorry, but if you never kissed me back then, none of this would have happened! I would have still been living my life as it is!"

"In guilt?" Sanzo said, lighting a cigarette. "I thought you said you killed a friend. Hmph, and I wonder why I'm still here talking to _you_…" He got up, adjusting the collar of his white jacket and left the crowded area.

The night air was such a comforting relief to him. At least it was better out here than in there, now with that Goku kid whom he kept bumping into… he just didn't want to admit he found the boy attractive and… His hand fastened itself around the gun in his hidden pocket when he perceived the familiar bearded man coming towards the alley, flanked by two other recognizable faces. 

"Fancy seeing you here, Genjo Sanzo," Li Touten drawled, suddenly pulling him away from the ears of the two bodyguards. "I heard you've found yourself another lover, Sanzo. Hn. With those looks, you'd be able to entice anyone you want… and sometimes, those you don't want…"

"Get the fuck away from me," Sanzo whispered dangerously, eyes glaring viciously. 

Li Touten smiled sickeningly, slapping Sanzo's butt with a vile hand. The gun was taken out instantaneously, and pointed itself at the man's forehead. Sweat beads formed around his smiling face, as Dokugakuji and the other guard nearer them, in cautious steps. 

"Don't move, boys," Li Touten said. "He won't do it. He wouldn't dare."

"What do you take me for? I've killed others before, without hesitation. Killing you would be a piece of cake."

"You were never good at respecting seniors, kid. Maybe if Homura was still your stead, he'd teach you a thing or two."

Sanzo gulped. "He never forced me. It was good while it lasted."

"But it didn't… so, I heard you've got the sutra. Show it to me."

"Never."

All three men were stunned. Li Touten stood staring at Sanzo for a good five seconds. "No? You work for us, Sanzo, haven't you forgotten that? Hand it over!"

"Who said I worked for you? I work alone."

And he pulled the trigger. For the first time in his life, he smiled at the sight of the blood on his hands. 

**A/n:** So damn sorry for the lack of GojyoXHakkai in this chapter! Gomen! Hey, at least I finished this chapter when I'm supposed to be studying! I just couldn't bear to leave this for two weeks of exams! Thanks to those who reviewed and wished me good luck ^^ Good luck to everyone too! Hehe…

Forgive me for mistakes… it's over midnight now, and I'm really tired… *yawn* Gotta go! 

What to be expected: A very, very late update, so please bear with me! Someone's playing at Sanzo's game too… I'm not saying who, but this character's not introduced yet… he's someone you guys know for sure. Homura's mad as ever because of a little something someone told him about Sanzo… and… more Sanzo-torture in the next chapter^^;; 


	5. Chapter 4: Revenge

**Note: **Shounen-ai, violence, rape, lime, SanzoXGoku (nearing…be patient), GojyoXHakkai (implied), death, blood, and bloody betrayal……………ain't that something to enjoy? ^^

**Thank you!!! **

**Ami: **Yeah! You know, I'm so glad you reviewed ^^

**Sk8er boi: **Enemies? Hmm…. I'm not gonna give anything away…hehe…I'll try to add lotsa GojyoXHakkai if you want.

**chris: **Yupz… of course, I had to make Goku spill everything out sooner or later. Thanks for reminding me though ^__^

**gallatica: **ur fics are so awesome… they put mine to shame… I'm so glad you like this one!!!!

**black luna: **Yeah… I really needed someone to remind me that before I go overboard ^^;;

**laine: **Glad you really, really liked this fic… made my day^__-

**koureshin: **Heh… so honored you woke up early to review this ^^ gomen for the Sanzo torture though :P 

**Nekochan: **Sorry… the update wasn't fast enough T__T

**Windy Hurrice: **Hah… never mind it, I'll be sure to put some *high quality* into the fic^^

**tsunogirl: ***gasp* Somehow… I dunno *how*, but… how did you know I was gonna let Homura r-rape Sanzo?! Hahaha…… wow, you saw right through me, man! Yes, look forward to that… thanks for reviewing and… well, for everything!

**Once Forgotten **_by real-circus_

**Chapter 4: Revenge **

"What did he look like?" a dark-haired man in his late twenties asked, almost frantic, with a slight pinch of anger in his tone. "Was he… about seventeen or so? Brown hair?"

"Oh, so you've met him already…" the other figure clad in grey smirked under the hooded coat. "Son Goku, that boy." 

The mist in the alley became even more intense, hiding the flush of anger in Homura's cheeks and the clenching and unclenching of his hands. They were itching to be placed on someone's neck and squeezing the life out of it… 

"Did anything happen? Any little thing that I should know of?" he probed on, eyes inclined to the ground. 

The older man held the hood down, to conceal the uncontrollable grin that was spreading itself on his pale face. "Well, since you asked… they _did _have something going on then. Saw them just last night, in a _very_ intimate position…"

"… I'm going there," Homura said, with finality in his softly dangerous voice. 

"Don't be too harsh on Sanzo though," the stranger said suddenly. "After all, the boy was the one who made the first move… Sanzo was too… _enticed_ to refuse…"

"Hmph! Very unlike him to do that… I'll go settle things by myself then… the both of them… they'll be so sorry…"

~*~*~*~

The dead body of Li Touten fell into his arms. Unlike that day of two years before, Sanzo did not flinch or go into a swirl of disgust, or even more humiliating—let Homura sooth him back to calmness like that. He merely let the body slip from his arms and kiss the ground at his feet. Dokugakuji muttered something inaudible and stepped back. 

The boy named Son Goku had left the bar, in search of Sanzo, and was right there, watching the scene from under the tiny lamplight above the exit. _Oh gods… I didn't see anything! I didn't see anything…_

"He fucking well deserved it," Sanzo said coldly, turning away. 

"You do know what they'll do to you back in the Academy, don't you?" Doku said, eyes on the gun in Sanzo's clenched hands all the while. "It's far worse than being in a prison cell, you know. Remember what happened to Lirin--?"

"You don't have to remind me," Sanzo snapped. "Besides, it was partly Kougaiji's fault, and it has nothing to do with me, so just fuck off!" 

The agile young man swept into the darkness and scaled the back wall of the alley, disappearing almost in just two seconds. He knew he had to return to face the Academy at some point. He wondered if Homura would have a new partner to fill his space and if he'll be tortured to near death for murdering the head of department. Nah… he didn't give a damn, for now. 

~*~*~*~

"And how did the men look like, Professor Cho?" a reporter asked frantically, waving his pen in the air. 

The flashes from cameras and reflections from the lens blinded him momentarily. "Well… one was blond and the other was dark-haired, I think," he repeated the descriptions to the news-hungry reporters like he'd done to the police a moment ago. It was all very annoying, especially when he had an injured man to nurse back in the hospital. 

"And… I believe I saw them somewhere before… and I remember knowing them… talking to them…" Hakkai found himself talking to the ground, spilling all his thoughts out. The correspondents chose to ignore this and continued to bombard him with their bloody questions. 

"And what about the scroll you discovered in Chou An, professor?" someone in the crowd inquired loudly. "I heard it was taken too."

"Yes… yes, it was taken," he answered, scratching his head. _But I suppose I was the one who stole it first… it didn't belong to me, now that I come to think of it… I had no right to take something so valuable from the hidden city… damn! _

"I'll be returning it to whomever it might belong to, after it's in my hands."

The room turned mute for a good five seconds before a camera flashed into life and brought everyone back to reality. 

 "But professor! It's valuable! It could be worth a lot!"

"But you do not know who this person is, right professor? Or do you?" 

"Returning it back, professor? Does it belong to someone?"

"No one I know of… but I feel it does have an owner… well, at least it did have an owner once, and I'm returning it. It would be the only just thing to do."

The applause from the crowd signaled his leaving, and he took the opportunity to scramble off the stage and into his waiting limo. Reporters flashed their cameras at him, and journalists scribbled nonsense into their notebooks as they watched his car speed off to the hospital. 

~*~

"Gojyo! How's everything?" Hakkai rested his arms on the bed railings and leaned closer. 

"Just wonderful. Had an operation the other night, the food here stinks, and the nurses are just too rough on me… it was just splendid, believe me."

Hakkai smiled at his friend's improved condition and kissed him on the cheek. "Well, the doctor said you heal rather quickly, and you'll be out in no time."

"Alright… and… Hakkai?" Gojyo paused for a while, staring at the ceiling. 

"Hai?"

"…You know, the other night when we were… in your room? Yeah… you don't mind me asking something really stupid, do you?"

"Not at all… but it depends, really. What is it?"

"Well… there was this scary scar-like thing on your stomach and--"

"Oh!" Hakkai laughed heartily. "So that was the reason you stopped half-way?"

Gojyo blushed visibly, pouting. "Hey, it wasn't funny you know… it looked rather… serious, you know. I was worried… I might hurt you…"

Hakkai took his friend's hand, rubbing it between his soft, slender ones. "Gojyo, it wasn't anything serious… I had it when I was born, in fact. The nuns at the orphanage told me so. Guess it was because of that… that I never got to know my birth parents. You can say it's a birthmark. Some call it a curse, but it's been part of me for so long… and you know, you just can't let it go. You just have to live with it, bear with it. Sometimes, I have these weird dreams of how I got the scar… they became nightmares… I actually saw myself in the rain, spilling my guts out."

"Gross… reminds me of the food here."

Hakkai grinned widely, placing Gojyo's palm against his face. "But then, someone came to me. He saved me, Gojyo. I thought he'd kill me, right there and then, but he saved me. Didn't have a good look at his face though, 'cos it was just a dream. Everything was all blurry and unfocused… and you know what the uncanny thing was? The nightmares seemed to stop the night I met you."

"Glad to be of some service," Gojyo returned the smile, stroking Hakkai's face with his thumb. 

"Hm… you can never take anything seriously, can you?" Hakkai nuzzled his nose into the hand, kissing it over and over. 

"Anything but you…"

Hakkai blushed at that, chuckling and hiding his burning face from sight. 

~*~*~*~

Goku jogged after the blond man, making sure not to loose him in the fog. The other two men back outside the bar were last seen reporting the murder to headquarters; someone was bound to get to Sanzo in due time. Goku wondered what the man meant when he mentioned of the sort of punishment he had to face back at this Academy. It sounded scary anyway. 

Sanzo had been walking for a good fifteen minutes or so. The boy behind him was finally thrown off; Sanzo knew he was stalking him all the while… but he certainly wasn't aware of the other shadow that kept hiding in discrete corners, far from his sight. He reached an unused warehouse. The broken roof tiles reflected the moon's rays upon their metal veneers, and the mist was no obstacle now. He unlocked the rusty door and let himself in. The dust rose to his ankles as he stepped on the floor. Sanzo stood and waited. Someone was coming, and he knew it now. Being out there wasn't safe for him. The mist was threatening, and who knows what danger lurked in the night… not anything he couldn't handle though…

"H-Homura," Sanzo stuttered, inching back. The older man had entered openly, not bothering to hide himself now. "You were following me, weren't you?" 

His back hit the cracked wall behind. Homura placed his hands on either side of Sanzo's head and he leaned in closer. 

Sanzo's fingers dug into the wall behind him, as Homura chucked his chin up, kissing him violently on the lips. "Stop it…" he tried to say, but Homura placed a finger on his already swollen lips and pressed his mouth to cover Sanzo's fully. He bit at the lower lip, ejecting a little groan from the blond beauty. 

Rough but skillful hands tore his shirt apart, exposing the milky smooth skin of the lean torso. Homura let his fingers travel down the muscles and past the waistline, unbuckling the leather belt slowly. As his pants hit the ground, Sanzo was clearly aware of the bonds that the other had in his hand now. 

"Homura… what…?"

Before he could continue further, Homura had pinned him mercilessly to the ground with his full body weight. The gun in his jacket was thrown out of reach, and other weapons like the daggers in his boots or the knife in his sleeve were carefully removed too. Sanzo kicked wildly, shouting insults and vile things that always wanted to be sprouted a long time ago. 

Homura's superior strength allowed him to pull the two wrists together and bind them with a thin rope that cut the white skin painfully. He pushed the bound hands above Sanzo's head. The man below him was gritting his teeth, and clamping his frozen hands from time to time. Homura watched this with sick amusement and pleasure, enjoying the mere sight of his ex-lover in bondage… never had he thought the man would look so enticing like this…

"Aren't you at least going to cry a little for me?" he whispered into Sanzo's ear, nibbling at the earlobes. 

"You know, we could've done this in a more… romantic sort of way… but you went and spoilt it all… turning to rape now, aren't we? Well, I'm not going to comply." 

"…We'll see." Homura lifted Sanzo's neck with his free hand and bit the deliciously sweet skin just below a pulse point. It was his favorite spot. Since it was probably going to be his last time bedding Sanzo, Homura decided to be just slightly harsher in his love-making. The skin reddened more, and Sanzo kicked in protest. 

The spot became a crude bruise within a minute, tainting the soft skin. Homura looked up at his victim, sneering to see the beautiful violet eyes shinning with tears. Sanzo had tried to ease the burning sensation that was building up behind his eyes, but the pain forced the droplets out, to his utter humiliation. 

"Enjoying this, baby?" 

"In your fucking dreams."

Homura decided to waste no more time—his erection was hardening at the sight of cold sweat beads along the side of Sanzo's head and tears that were now flowing down the ivory cheeks he loved kissing so much… it was all so exciting. He kicked his own jeans off hastily, and positioned himself between Sanzo's shivering legs, spreading them wider with his knees. 

Letting go of the bound and bleeding wrists, Homura raised Sanzo's hips above the ground, allowing himself to enter ruthlessly, despite the cries and screams emitting from the blond. Sanzo fought not to shout anymore, he willed himself not to weep, as that would satisfy the mad creature on top of him even more. He forced himself not to cry his name, as that would surely spur the monster on…

Homura quickened his rhythm and increased the force of his thrusts, as rough as ever. Sanzo's lips parted in a scream of mixed pain and pleasure. Despite his being callous and forceful towards Sanzo, Homura leaned in closer, allowing Sanzo to find comfort under the crook of his neck. 

Homura pulled out, collapsing on top of Sanzo, breathing harshly and sweat-slicked. "Won't you scream your lover's name out? Or better still, _my _name? It would be fun… why won't you…?"

Sanzo didn't know what lover Homura was talking about, but nevertheless, he refused to answer the man. He was too enraged for any talking. 

"Do it," Homura said suddenly, lifting Sanzo's hips up again to meet with his, and rubbing his need against Sanzo's. "Say my name."

Sanzo, without hesitation, spat into Homura's face, much to the other's utter rage and humiliation. "You bloody asshole… what the fuck do you think I am? Your sex slave?"

"…Hmph… I saw what you did just now. It was rather entertaining, you know, to see the bastard get shot in the head like that." Homura's hot breath hit his face stingingly. His hand came up to grip the bound wrists, and he licked at the blood trails that were spilling down his captive's arms. "I didn't know you still went with the plan… I thought you threw it all away when you went and kissed that fucking kid."

"Ch! I didn't do it because it was part of the plan!" Sanzo spat, trying to wriggle out from underneath Homura. 

"No?" 

"No. I did it because he tried to hit on me. Simple as that."

Homura slid his tongue over the parts of Sanzo's chest he could reach. "Hit on you? My, my, _I_ could have killed him for you…"

"…I'm not yours anymore…"

"Oh. I forgot. You got that freaking kid now, you don't need _me_. Was he better in bed than I was?" Homura's gold eye glinted evilly. 

"What the fuck are you talking about? I never…" 

"Admit it! You two already had something going on before, right? The night he saw the both of us in the cubicle, the moment you kissed him, then he ran after you… it was all planned out beforehand!"

"Homura, I never knew the kid before! Believe me, you asshole! We never even met till that night and that night only!"

Homura took out the knife he stole from Sanzo, twirling it playfully. "You sure about that? You know, I can make you admit things even without fucking you to death…"

The sound of something clattering away was heard just outside the open window, and the two men's heads turned to face the noise. 

"You," Homura said, with icy venom in his voice, spotting the stunned youth. Goku was too traumatized to look away. The horrors of the rape were already good enough to freak him out. He was unsure about why he never turned his heels and sprinted as far away as possible. 

Sanzo felt the heavy weight lifted off him as Homura straightened out, eyes still fixed firmly on the boy. The first thing that caught his eye, as Homura put on his jacket, was the faint glimmer of the gun in one of the pockets…

"Don't you dare try to move a muscle," the dark-haired assassin said, getting to his feet. The satiety of the rape was still dazing him slightly, and he grasped hold of the nearest object in front of him to steady himself. 

Goku spotted the right golden eye of Homura's and stared. _Just like mine… who is he? _An ear-splitting gunshot rang through the tense silence, breaking all thoughts out of his head. It was then that he realized the man called Homura was just in front of him, and blood was splattered on his head…

Goku gasped in horror, feeling himself tremble uncontrollably, as the blank eyes stared at him one last time before falling to the ground. 

Sanzo's hands shivered violently as he let go of the gun in between his tied hands. His sweat trickled off his chin, and his lips were quivering against his will. He had shot Homura. _He _had shot _Homura… _Sanzo pulled his own jacket to his shuddering body, covering his shame. _He had shot Homura… _What could get worse? What could possibly ruin his night even more? His ex-lover, and the only one he had had, was dead. _He had shot Homura…_

…And he didn't have a clue of the coming horror in store for him that night…

**Note: **I think I overdid the rape part XD Bless me… I spent short intervals during my study time just to complete this very important chapter. I did it bit by bit… *sigh* It's ten minutes to midnight… gotta go study for the next paper on Monday. Ja~

**What to be expected in the next chapter: **Yes, the character at the beginning of the chapter (the hooded, grinning guy) is someone everyone knows. Can you at least guess who it is? He's related to two deceased people in the fic, and it's also because of this that he's appearing here. The secret (and more revelations) will be added in the next chapter that will be completed by… next week? I'll try ^^ 


	6. Chapter 5: Taunting

**A/N: **I'm… barely alive… exams are finally OVER!!! And it's back to catching up on the fics I haven't read yet… or not. I still have Don't Dream it's Over, In The Days of Koryu, Baby Blues and Alone to finish up. I'm so late to update T__T Gomen! 

Thank you pple! I actually got 11 reviews for the previous chapter alone… thanks!

**The Crimson Blood: **Oooo… GojyoXHakkai…? Got it down! I'll write more of it in the next chapters… hehe^^

**Sk8er Boi: **No, no… thank YOU, sk8er boi-san, for reviewing ^__^

**sanzo-chan: **Er… heh… *blush* Yeah, he's naked… but I'll get him into some decent clothes soon… to prevent myself from drooling more… k… can't believe I said that… but yeah… ^^;; Thanks for reviewing!

**gallatica: **Opps… it ain't him T__T But thank you so much, gallatica-san, for reminding me that Chin Isou also has a part in this plot^^ Thank you thank you thank you! I think I would've forgotten about him if you didn't review *phew*

**Ami: **OoOooO… yaoi… Ee… I'm not THAT good when it comes to that, and I'm not a good teacher either… but I'll try! Let's see… if you're not comfortable with yaoi (which I doubt since you're reading this fic) then I suggest you *imagine* one guy being the girl and the other still remaining as a guy… dun go overboard tho ^^; k… bad teaching… 'tis easy. Maybe read some yaoi fics to get inspiration or… romance novels? Nah, they didn't help me one bit, but really… when I first came to ff.net, I didn't like shounen-ai at all. Seriously. Before I had an account, I hated it so much. But after I read some yaoi fics, I, er, accepted it ^^;;;;; So I suggest you go read *lotsa* yaoi fics to get ideas, k? I'm not a good teacher T_T

**chris: **Okay~ ur so damn smart, you know that don't you? You remind me of David Blaine. Consider it a compliment. Hah… thanks for cracking ur brain for this… maybe it was too obvious… I dunno… but congrats for guessing right^^

**koureshin: **Aa… haha… gomen, I just adore Sanzo torture ^^v Hope this update was fast for you! Tho I believe it ain't…

**sun: **Haha! Yeah, I guessed it should have been between Sanzo and Goku… but I pity Homura… oh boo hoo… he's so lonely… but WHO CARES, ne? ^___^ 

**tsunogirl: **All questions answered in this update^^

**black luna: **I guess you could call it a cliffhanger… thanks for reviewing!

**Shiroki: **You smarty you… ^^Yup, you and chris guessed right! Hehe… seems like there are more GojyoXHakkai fans around than I thought there would be… 

**Once Forgotten **_by real-circus_

**Chapter 5: Taunting**

Sanzo buried his lower body with his discarded clothes while trying desperately to untie himself. He forced the knife out of Homura's cold, clenched hand and fumbled about with the blade. The cuts on his arms would surely worsen if he was returned to the Academy, where they would torture him to no end…

He somehow managed to slip the blade between his two wrists while holding the handle with both hands. He peeled the bonds off his raw skin and cursed at the unmoving figure slumped at the window. The boy was outside. Sanzo guessed that he'd either fainted from the shock or ran away in fright… or perhaps even died vomiting. Hell, he was just _guessing_. He heard a whimper outside, and his question was answered. 

Sanzo quickly clothed himself, unable to stop the shivering. Damn Homura. Damn him for everything… but Sanzo couldn't help but feel something shatter in his heart when he shot the man in the head. Everything they'd gone through _together—_gone. Out the window of his battered heart for good. He resisted the urge to clasp the dead body to him and keep it warm for now… but he knew it would be such a stupid thing to do. Homura was _dead… _definitely. He checked for a pulse himself. 

Why, he could've shot him in the stomach where he'd live at least a few seconds more, but no—it just had to be the head. He didn't know why, but he always aimed for the head and no where else before, unless it was for a motive. 

_Two years or so ago… Sanzo's second week at the Academy…_

Homura loaded in the bullets of the gun for Sanzo, who was all pent up and annoyed at his lover. _Jeez… I can do that myself! Stop treating me like your freaking junior, Homura! _Well, it was true that he was Homura's junior, but he usually preferred to be treated like an equal, especially because his skills were much better than most seniors. 

The men at the practice room glared at Homura, and some even offered to help Sanzo load and polish his gun. After all, Sanzo was the hottest being that ever walked into the Academy in a very long time. But Homura got to him first, and all hope was lost. 

"The shots will be loud," Homura cautioned. "Just put on one of those ear-muff things and--"

BANG! BANG!

"Fuck! Sanzo just what…?!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

…And he didn't even bother to use 'those ear-muff things'. The room seemed to stop and everyone gasped at the five holes in the dummy's cardboard head. Very accurate, but the target marks were drawn at the stomach area… which were so far away from the head. 

"Ee… Sanzo," Homura gripped the blonde's raised arm. Hell, he didn't even use two hands to steady the gun! "You're supposed to aim for the dummy's guts, not the head…"

"If it were a real person he would've been dead either way," Sanzo replied, firing his last bullet in the middle of his previous five bullet holes, creating a rather impressive hole in the center of the fake head. 

Homura took the gun from him and reloaded. "Do you really want your victims to die that quickly? Don't you want to see the pain and anguish in their eyes one last time before they end their pathetic lives? If you want a slow, painful death…" he fired, and a hole appeared right at the groin of the dummy. "…then this would be more suitable, don't you think?" 

_Back to the present…_

Goku needed to puke somewhere… and quick. He was trembling frenziedly now, and to make things worse, the sharp pain in his right arm was hurting more than ever. Someone had hit him _hard _there, probably with a thick iron rod or something, when he was trailing Sanzo. Someone _obviously_ didn't want anyone to follow him. 

The blond man was standing above him now. _How… how can he still be so… composed after what he'd been through!? _Goku shrunk into himself, clutching his right arm to stop the pain. He held back the tears that were forming behind his eyes. He wanted to scream out, in anguish and in pain, to let it all out… but the older man did something that drew all attention to his presence once again…

Sanzo reached out, extending a hand to Goku, and all other sounds were blocked out, except his deep, husky voice, saying, "Hmph… I've got no choice but to take you with me… can you stand up?" 

Goku had a sudden, fleeting vision of another man, with blond hair too but in strange garments, offering his hand to him. The sun illuminated his slender outline… those violet eyes looked down at him in slight worry and somewhat frustration… before it all evaporated into nothingness… and Sanzo was standing in front of him again. 

"What… what did you do… just now?" Goku asked timidly, withdrawing. "What did you… make me see?"

"Just shut it and take my hand, will you? It was Homura's fault, not mine. It was partly _your_ fault for stumbling on us…"

"N-not that… I mean… never mind it…" Goku stretched out his right arm, only to realize of the sting that seared through his bones when he did that. He cried out sharply, whimpering. The throbbing pain hurt even more. 

"What? What is it now?" Sanzo asked, eyebrow knitted in irritation. 

"My arm… someone hit me when--"

"Homura." 

"Huh?"

"It was the man I killed just a moment ago. I believe he did it. Come on, let's get you inside." Sanzo was about to lift the frail thing off the ground but Goku pulled away. 

"N-no… I think I'll stay out here…"

"You don't have to look at the body, you know. You can close your eyes. Just close them, and see nothing."

Goku obeyed, and moaned as Sanzo carried him, seemingly without much effort, into the little shack, and at a good distance away from Homura's body. Sanzo laid him on a tattered rug, as it was the only source of comfort in here for the boy. After rolling up the sleeve carefully and examining the fractured arm closely, he removed his belt. 

"It's not a very serious injury," he stated. "Your shoulder bone's just disjointed."

"Disjointed? It… it sounds serious to _me_…"

"It can be fixed." Sanzo smoothed out the leather belt on his hands. "Bite into this—hard. It will help. Just do it!"

Goku clenched the material with his teeth, afraid of what the man might do next. Sanzo placed his head on his lap, gently caressing the arm. He knew he shouldn't be doing this though, touching the kid like this, but it couldn't be helped. He hoped Goku wouldn't get the wrong impression of him. He stroked every part of the boy's face until the child calmed down a bit. Fearful golden eyes stared at him, and it reminded Sanzo of Homura's right eye, which was of the same hue. He looked away.

"Don't think of it." Without warning, he crunched the boy's shoulder joint and pulled it back into its original position. Goku bit into the leather hard, almost ripping it. His cries and screams were muffled by the belt over his lips. 

Goku's breathing grew harsher, and he gripped Sanzo's hand for comfort. He had time to slip his fingers between Sanzo's, and it was then that he realized that their hands fitted into the other's perfectly. 

Sanzo had probably realized that too and said, "Let go." 

Goku did just that, now burying his head into Sanzo's clothes, eyes shut tightly, belt still in mouth. 

"Homura's dead, isn't he?" 

Sanzo's gun pointed straight at the sound of the familiar voice. His eyes were peeled for the slightest movement of a muscle, or the twitch of a hand in the darkness. 

"Shien," he said, lowering the gun. "What are you doing here?" 

"Seeing if my plan worked out just the way I wanted it to," the man replied, pulling down his grey hood. The pale skin looked whiter and ghastly under the moonlight. The half-closed eyes regarded the two people on the floor with interest. Lanky fingers flexed themselves, their owner smiling widely. 

"You?" Sanzo rose, pulling the boy up with him. "Spit it out. What did you say to Homura? What did you do, Shien? What the fuck did you do to _ruin my life_?"

"Ruin your life, Sanzo? I thought I made it more bearable. After all, Homura's gone, and you can start all over again… but not with that _child_," he added with hatred, eyes staring pointedly at Goku. 

Sanzo waited in silence for the other to go on. _There's no one here that will ever leave me in peace… gods… _"Well? You're just trying to tell me that you wanted my life to lighten up a bit with the absence of Homura? Fuck you! I could've done it without your help, and without having to kill him, too! What's your goddamn problem?"

"…I heard your conversation with Homura…"

"You fucking _heard_ us? And you never tried to help? Even though I didn't need it," he added as an afterthought. 

"I heard enough to understand… you two really _were_ trying to kill Li Touten… I don't want to know the stupid reasons for that, I'm quite satisfied with the death myself."

"Quit it with the senseless talk and explain, before you end up where Homura is." Sanzo raised his gun again. 

Shien grinned. "Well, if you _really_ want to know… the plan's not complete yet. Homura's death was part of it too. You see, I watched the both of you for a very long time, waiting for a moment to strike. You don't know what I've gone through… that bastard Homura betrayed Zenon, which killed him in the end. Zenon was my best friend. I had nothing left, except Nataku, the head of the grouping I was placed in. All was lost when he was killed too, by that brat at your side right now, Sanzo."

"How the hell did you know all this from?" Sanzo tried not to sound too curious. 

"Nataku told me to back him up on the day of assassination, and I saw everything. No, I had been too late when I reached him…"

Sanzo stood in front of the boy, as though protecting him. "Then why didn't you kill Goku yourself?"

"I wanted to, at first, but I had to avenge Zenon's death too. When I learnt of the connection between the three of you, I knew that my plan would kill two birds with one stone. And you, of all people, made that possible for me. Only one thing is left to do though…" 

Goku gripped Sanzo's waist, concealing himself. Tears ran down again, as he recalled the night he made his first kill. 

"I thought Homura would go for the boy's neck, after I lied to him about your relationship with the kid, but no—he just had to go after you, merely giving this Son Goku a hard beating on the arm. Well, I guess I've got to finish this…" Shien cracked his white knuckles, advancing towards them. 

Sanzo pointed the gun at the latter's head out of habit, whenever someone came too close. Strangely, Shien grinned, pressing his forehead to the mouth of the gun daringly. 

"Maybe Li Touten was right," he said, still wearing that creepy smirk. "You wouldn't dare, would you? Go ahead, do it. I _dare _you."

Sanzo, without hesitation, pulled the trigger with his eyes closed. He heard the thump of a heavy object falling to the ground in front of him, and let the gun slip from his fingers. Two deaths—no, make that three—tonight. It would have been any normal night only if the murdered were not people he knew and worked with. Oh hell, the police wouldn't be pleased…

…And speaking of police... "Oh fuck!"

Red and blue lights blazed outside, suddenly, followed by the sounds of a siren blaring all around the neighborhood. Tires screeched across the uneven road, coming to a halt right outside the door of the hut. 

Sanzo and Goku were trapped, as Sanzo would find hard to admit. Why hadn't he heard the rumbling of the cars from a mile away? Why hadn't he ran out and sprinted away like all hell was loose? 

"Get down and shut up!" Sanzo pushed Goku to the ground and straddled the youth, much to Goku's alarm and bewilderment. 

Goku screamed into Sanzo's mouth as soft lips came to cover his. He struggled as hard as he could, shrieking for the police to come now, and they did just that. The rusty door fell to one side as a forceful foot kicked it open, revealing a group of five men in uniform with guns. 

Sanzo allowed the strong arms to pry him away from the crying boy, and wondered enigmatically… _why… why the hell did I do that for? Saving someone else's ass is not like me to do… why? _

**A/N: **Sorry… this chapter was short and really sucked. If you were wondering, yes—Sanzo DID attempt to erm, rape Goku to save the kid. I hope you get it. You see, if Goku was found to be with Sanzo, he'd be accused too, and Sanzo (for some unknown reason) did not want that to happen. Yeah, sweet, but too drama though… 

**What to be expected in the next chapter: **Let's see… Sanzo _does _go to jail. No, he didn't escape. He could, if he wanted to, but he didn't want to. But you know I won't keep him in jail for long! He meets someone who plays a vital role in the plot in prison… And another surprise (also acting as a little something that spoiled Sanzo's plans) is to come. Remember he said something in Chapter 3: Betrayal… something about him not actually killing Gojyo?? Yes, he will get some answers in the end, but it's not the way he planned it to be…

Gomen gomen gomen for the lack of GojyoXHakkai here! I'll make it up in the next chapter! Yup, lots of it in the next chapter^^ And forgive me for mistakes… I was too excited (who wouldn't be after exams) Didn't have time to check… it's real late now and I oughta get some sleep… big day ahead tomorrow! Ja~


	7. Chapter 6: Afflict

**A/n: **Nope… Sanzo ain't going to stay in any jail for long… I don't know if it's possible for a murderer to be released… but… it's just a fic, ne? 

**gallatica: **Congrats for being the first person to review^^ Good at plotting? I take that as a compliment ya know… don't worry, there will be an *equal* amount of SanzoXGoku and GojyoXHakkai in the fic, even though Gojyo's and Hakkai's relationship started out earlier. Thanks for reviewing every chapter^^ Wow. 

**sanzo-chan: **Hehe… like the kissing part though ^__

**sun: **It's okay, not signing in… the review just made my day^^ thanks for waiting… yup, everything's in this chapter.

**sk8er boi: **Erm… actually… I didn't do well one bit. As usual :P my composition was the most satisfying thing ever, though, and it was the highest mark in class^^ And yes… like I said in 'Cup of Wine', I WILL be continuing Baby Blues, but sometimes, I just run out of ideas… thanks for liking both fics so much^^

**Windy Hurrice: **Heh… thank you, thank you! I'm flattered… that's all I can say^^

**Shiroki: **Goku visit him in jail…? Hm… good suggestion though! But nah… won't go according to plot if he DID do that… it will be so cute though, don't you think? Hehe…

**Matin Ange: **Wow. What can I say? Well… thank you a billion times over!!! I really mean it! It lightened my day tremendously, not that I needed any lightening or anything though… it just made me feel just so… so… absolutely honored!!!!

**Once Forgotten **_by real-circus_

**Chapter 6: Afflict**

No trial, just conviction—that was how the people here worked. Sanzo, however, was a different case. The man had killed three people in just one night. There had been others who slaughtered more, but the deceased were people he knew and worked with, and this caught the investigators' attention immediately. There was more to this than just the simple maniac going on a killing spree; there was a complicated reason under the surface, and everyone was doing everything to dig out more information on the blonde assassin. 

"Could you tell us, Genjo Sanzo, about your connection between all the people you have murdered?" the policewoman demanded strictly. Speaking with her seemed to be very disturbing. Those dyed purple locks were dreadfully familiar…

"Does it really matter?" he replied just as coldly. The woman slapped him across the face. He smirked—it didn't hurt one bit. He was used to more painful blows. 

"Don't give me that smirk of yours! Do you know what position you're in now? Don't answer that. You obviously don't."

"Just get on with the shit, bitch, and shut it with all that fucking interrogation crap!" Sanzo spat, much to the distaste and repulsion of the policemen. They carried on, anyway, despite Sanzo's violent upturning of the table and ruthlessly hurling any available object at the police. 

"Leave me with the man," the young policewoman said, taking out a gun. The rest left gratefully, studying the two through the glass window of the interrogation room. Even though the blond was stripped of his gun and other weapons, he seemed even more dangerous and aggressive than ever. 

"What's with the plaster?" she asked, peering over to see the covered bruise. "Looks rather nasty. Did one of the people you murdered do this?"

"It doesn't fucking concern you."

"Yes it does," the woman replied, seriously. Their eyes locked for a brief moment before Sanzo turned away, too pissed to even respond. "I know you. I've heard of you… because your boss happens to be my cousin."

~*~

Gojyo got slightly startled when Hakkai entered the ward noisily, slapping the day's papers onto the bed with the excitement equivalent to a child's. The headlines blared _'Assassin Behind Bars'_, but displayed no picture of the blond man who tried to kill them the other night. Gojyo wasn't surprised at all, and took, from underneath his pillow, a teen's magazine, which had the blonde's picture on the front page. The cover story title read _'Hot Assassination'_.

"This mag's got everything in it," Gojyo said, flipping to the page. "Appears that the guy's already the hottest topic among the kids, and remember the other guy—the dark-haired one—he's the blonde's lover, who got killed. Dunno… must have been cheating on blondie here or something…"

"It seems likely. He's been in custody for about two nights already, and he's still occupying the front page… they say… they say they'll kill him, once they get enough answers. He's murdered enough people already. Maybe he deserves it…"

"He so fucking did!" Gojyo said, raising his voice. 

"Now, now, Gojyo…" Hakkai cooed, gently stroking a tanned arm. "Don't you think it's really worth it?" He made a gesture with his fingers to show Gojyo he wanted silence. "I mean… well, I myself don't know why I'm saying this, but… don't you find it a little _odd _that he killed the very people he worked for? He might have been good. Perhaps he killed them for a purpose. Maybe," Hakkai leaned in closer, like an innocent adolescent who wanted so anxiously to tell a parent of the day's activities. "Just maybe, he had been on our side? Think about it. It's possible."

"_Possible_, Hakkai, but not reliable enough. He had that killer look in those freaky eyes; he really, really wanted to kill us, Hakkai!"

Just then, the sharp ring of Hakkai mobile phone resounded in his jacket pocket. The professor dug it out and answered hastily. Gojyo could only frown and flip to the article on the assassin. He felt a grin touch his lips when he read:

_…the blond assassin was said to have an intimate relationship with one of the victims, whose name is strictly confidential. The media does not have reliable sources as to which academy both work for, but, as the police stated, they would be all sent behind bars for the rest of their lives when found. As for the captured assassin, it does not come as a surprise to find many advertising companies paying tons for the Sex God (as named in Teens' Magazine) to work for them…but that feisty temper and sharp tongue won't get him far…_

Hakkai put the phone back into a deep pocket with a click. Gojyo folded the morning paper and wondered if Hakkai had even read the article yet. 

"Who was that?" he asked absent-mindedly, shifting to reach the TV remote. 

"Someone very important, calling from Chou An," Hakkai replied. "Remember that place I was talking about the other day? The same place where I found that now stolen scroll? Well, they said they found something worth seeing in the debris of the Sunset temple… or whatever it was called. He didn't mention anything about it, though. Said it was… curious… and… and I want to take you with me."

Gojyo blinked, turning his head away from the TV set. "What? I haven't healed yet. Besides, I don't know anything about these ruins and archeologists or ancient stuff… I'll probably be so lost and… I don't want to look stupid with you around."

"Trust me, Gojyo," Hakkai smiled warmly; those kinds of smiles could replace a night's worth of sleep anytime, in Gojyo's point of view. "I'll be your guide!" _There's that child-like excitement again… _"Just stick with me and you'll be fine! I want to show whatever it is to see to you. I want to show you… everything, because…"

"Because _what, _Hakkai?" Gojyo prodded on, a tad more eager than impatient. 

"…Because you're worth all this. I don't know… we just met a few nights ago… I don't know why we're still doing this. It's as though I've known you for centuries. I remember loving you, but I've never met you."

"As in, you loved me even before you met me? I've heard of that one before. But to hear that from your lips was pure heaven." Gojyo ran the back of his finger down Hakkai's smooth, blushing visage. "Don't worry. I'll be discharged soon, and yeah… I guess I can go with you. I deserve a break from all that rock music down at the pub."

~*~*~

_Fuck. Shit. Dammit. Fuck it. Screw it! _Sanzo's mind sprouted every single swear word he knew. Sitting in a small cell full of other men wasn't exactly fun, especially if it smelled of dried sweat on overused jail attire. Worst of all, Shuuei was coming to see his situation. Shuuei had been a good godfather, and Sanzo's closest family and friend, all these years. He loved the man like he'd loved his late father, Komyo. 

"Oi! New kid!" a burly man, about twice Sanzo's size and a head taller called. "You the one who tried to assassinate that professor? Heh, what a fucking failed--"

The bars rattled slightly when the huge hulk slammed into them, nursing his bleeding nose. Sanzo was up and fuming, right hand balled up into a tight, threatening fist. 

"Don't provoke him now," a thin, pale stick of a man chortled. 

"Why, that bastard!" The heavily-built cellmate lunged forward in a war cry with his fists raised. Sanzo caught them with little effort and kneed the man in the stomach. It didn't take long for the guards outside to notice the fight. Prisoners from other jail cells were banging objects against the metal bars, creating a maddening din that was hard to ignore. 

"OUIT IT, ALL OF YOU!!!" a guard thundered, as a few more entered the scene. 

"Genjo Sanzo! There's someone here to see you! Get your ass outta there NOW!!!" another hastily unbolted the lock of the jail cell to let the blond out. 

Sanzo cursed as two men forced handcuffs on him again and wrung him out roughly. 

~*~*~

Goku set his skateboard on the uneven sidewalk and slammed onto it, sending him riding down the slope to his school. He never cared if they didn't allow these things into class. He always had a way of concealing them. Now that the blond assassin named Sanzo was put in jail, there was hardly anything to upset or worry him, except homework of course… and maybe some other things… take reporters for example. 

A horde of them were chasing him to school, and he was sure the principal wouldn't be too pleased to see that. Swinging cameras and protruding microphones were everywhere he went. Now he really wished he could have been in jail with Sanzo, who didn't have to worry about reporters…

~*~

Or did he…?

"What the FUCK do you think you'll get out of me?" 

The young woman sat down at the other side of the glass quietly. "Mister Genjo Sanzo, I'm Shunfa, from the news press. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions concerning last night--?"

"Go screw yourself, bitch. I need no attention! Just get out of that fucking seat and leave me in peace! Can't you see that I've had enough of you reporters!?" Sanzo stopped right there, taking in fully what he saw at the entrance of the visitors' room. _No… it couldn't be him… why the fuck does he have to even be here!?_

It wasn't going according to plan. Nothing was. He couldn't see himself interrogating the professor or his redhead friend either… he couldn't see himself holding the stolen scroll anymore… he couldn't see himself getting out of this stinking prison for a long time…

Sanzo grimaced, as Professor Cho Hakkai took Shunfa's place in front of him, smiling faintly. 

**A/n: **Yes, it's a very short chapter… T__T I'll make up for it. Sanzo will be out of prison in no time. Yeah, Yaone is Kougaiji's cousin in this fic. Sorry if this chapter was disappointing…to me, it really sucked…except the Hakkai and Gojyo part.

**What to be expected: **As Sanzo said, his plan is crumbling to bits… and that 'curious' something that the correspondent found back at Chou An will be worth knowing to all four of them… Hehe… Shunfa's a reporter. Shuuei gets into the picture too. And Sanzo tells all he has to say about why he joined the rotten Academy in the first place. The weapons Sanzo and Homura stole in previous chapters (i.e. the Nyoibou)--and did I mention they stole the Shaku Jou too?—have a role in this fic too…


	8. Chapter 7: Disintegration

**A/n: **People I'd like to thank: **Ami, gallatica, kotonaru, sun, nan & bleit. **And er, nope… I didn't mention anything about the Shaku Jou. But they did steal it ^^;;

**Warnings: **Shounen-ai (especially in this chapter), lewd, lewd scenes, and a lot of SanzoXGoku… it happens all in this chapter. And I'm serious about the lewd scenes…

**Once Forgotten **_by real-circus_

**Chapter 7: Disintegration  **

Sanzo stared back through the glass with burning hatred. If looks could truly kill, the glass between them would have melted to liquid and the professor would have been dead a long time ago… then, the professor spoke. Sanzo knew it happened; he knew his lips moved, but no sound came from those calm, smiling lips. The blood that was boiling in his ears now was too loud, shielding out the noise outside. 

He blinked twice, and reality took shape before his senses again. "I'd like to see you, preferably somewhere out of this prison," the brunette said, cautiously and softly. Sanzo recognized the humiliation and pain, to see the person he had to kill talking so casually in front of him, as though it never happened. "Don't worry. I have my connections. I'll get you out, but under strict conditions, of course. You're an excellent assassin, I must say. And you've got a whole story to tell me under that scowl of yours."

"If we weren't speaking through the glass, I would've spat at you just now," Sanzo hissed, leaning closer, so that Hakkai's emerald eyes met with Sanzo's cold violet glare. 

Hakkai just forced his thin lips upwards to fit a perfectly forced grin on his handsome face. It just made Sanzo even angrier than before. Hakkai sat back slowly. 

"I promise you, you'll be out in no time. I've paid a considerable amount of money to fulfill this, but that doesn't matter."

"Why the FUCK would someone like you want me out on the loose again?" Sanzo questioned, enraged. "If you need answers, don't think you'll get anything out of me. Aren't you afraid of what I'm capable of doing? I can easily choke the life out of you, you know. Weaklings like you die quicker in this world."

"I do not like your very negative outlook on the world, mister Genjo Sanzo. That's your name, isn't it? Well, I suggest you go cool yourself down… I don't want them sending you back in here… I want to take you with me to one of my expeditions."

If Sanzo wasn't that angry, he would've laughed at how stupid that sounded. "Do whatever you want. I'm not in the mood for your talk."

A guard from outside strode in, whispering into another's ear. Sanzo knew he was going to be discharged, as the professor had said, but there was a catch. No one left prison like this without a condition. He didn't even bother how much Hakkai paid to get him out of there. It didn't seem to matter now, as he was led down a fenced passageway, to the back exit of the prison. He noticed how fucking ridiculous he must have been, acting as if it were his first time in twenty years that he'd been out of a prison cell. No matter—he'd kill those who'd arrested him, especially that bitch who claimed to be Kougaiji's cousin. Could she have been the one who let him be discharged? Sanzo spat at the ground near the spot-check station, much to the guard's distaste… but who cared?

Sanzo had a full day of new freedom ahead of him, and he knew how he'd spend it. He had to be careful though—the nutty professor had specially ordered the police to place a miniature detector at the back of his shirt, so that he could locate him back in his office. Sanzo wasn't a dimwit. He had proved on countless occasions that he knew everything people did to him… betrayal wasn't one of them though. 

~*~*~

Goku rummaged for his house keys in the midst of books, pens, and other small school things in his bag. Kicking the day's newspaper that was left by his front door aside, he fitted the little object into the keyhole and turned. The sound echoed through the hallway of the building, and he realized it had been far too quiet. 

"Found you." Goku jumped at the voice, dropping his schoolbag before reeling around. His heart skipped a beat for some reason, when he met with that very same violet gaze from some nights back. 

"Get back!" He became frantic and scared; the memories of that night sprang back into his mind, and he turned defensive. "Just go away!"

"I won't harm you, for Christ's sake! I can't! They'll know," he added bitterly. 

Goku suddenly knew what he meant. Anyway, the man didn't seem to have a gun with him. No other weapon was bulging out of his clothes, so he felt slightly safer. Goku didn't know the other things Sanzo was capable of, without weapons, though. 

"I was wondering if you could let me in. I need a shelter for tonight. I can't go back to my own flat." Shuuei would be furious, he thought. Sanzo managed to pull it off without having to put on that pathetic interpretation of a poor beggar in the streets, asking for a loaf of bread. He felt that he was too worthy for any of that. 

"You live here all by yourself?" Sanzo asked, finding some evidence that proved the kid wasn't alone.  

"My foster parents went on vacation. You're just lucky," Goku replied from the kitchen. 

Sanzo entered the small room, busying himself with looking around the place. Of course, looking around wasn't exactly why Sanzo came to visit. 

"How did you know where I stayed?" Goku queried, sounding more distrustful than he wanted it to be. 

"I have my own connections," Sanzo replied, remembering what the professor had told him back in the prison. 

Goku was feeling strange now. He only knew this man for about a week, but something felt so right about Sanzo looking down at him right now with that glare, that felt so chilling, yet so comforting at the same time. 

"Won't you get me something to drink?" Sanzo asked a-matter-of-factly. He settled himself at the counter contentedly, eyes bright with some sort of sick amusement Goku couldn't comprehend, being the naïve child he was. Sanzo let his slim posture rest against the marble counter, and tilted his head to the side, allowing the lily-white flesh of his neck to be revealed. He was good when it came to seducing. He'd learnt it all from Homura. 

Speaking of Homura… Sanzo pretended to scratch the side of his neck, and as sure as he was, the love bite Homura had left that night was still there. He cursed inwardly. 

"Well," Goku's head disappeared behind the fridge. "What do you want?" 

Sanzo came to place his itching hands on the youngster's hips and pull him closer. "Anything wet," he answered in a purr. Now _that really _turned the young boy on. Sanzo slammed Goku roughly up against the fridge door. They stared at each other in lust for what seemed like ten full seconds before their lips locked fiercely. 

Sanzo, with Goku's smaller form clinging onto his waist, stumbled out the kitchen, groping his way around for a bedroom for him to do it properly. When he found one, which was probably Goku's, he threw the boy onto the bed and climbed on top. Pushing trembling legs apart, Sanzo marveled at what a beautiful body this boy had. He plunged downwards for the neck, and heard the soft murmur of his name repeated slowly between gasps of pleasure and pain. 

Goku pressed Sanzo's head to him, arching when a hungry tongue traveled down to his taut belly and… down even more. He felt his body shiver against his will. It was his first time, and moreover with someone he maybe didn't even know too well…… just _maybe_. Sanzo crawled back up again, panting harshly, placing his forehead against Goku's. 

"You haven't done this before, have you?" he asked in a seductive undertone, a hand snaking through soft brown locks. 

Goku shook his head, glancing at the sturdy structure of the man and the sleekness of the muscled skin. A firm hand chucked his chin upwards, so that their gazes met. Goku felt the heat rising up to his cheeks when he drowned himself in the purple depths that were Sanzo's eyes. They were the prettiest things he'd ever seen. Much like rare jewels or… or amethyst pools devoid of emotion. 

"Then let me teach you how to do it properly," Sanzo whispered into the boy's ear. It made Goku tremble in excitement. "Use your tongue…" Sanzo's lips gently caressed his, sliding his tongue between them, almost tempting Goku to do the same, and that he did. Sanzo bit his lower lip, opening the sweet mouth wider for his exploration. "Harder, and fiercer, Goku…" Goku obeyed instantly, arching his neck further and using his tongue more. They broke off for a breather. 

"That was good," Sanzo droned, taking in Goku's intoxicating scent. 

"Teach me more," Goku said wistfully. He was taken over by that something that was aching in his body for a long time now. He let it possess him, and wash over him. It was the best feeling alive. 

Sanzo, in the meantime, was obviously more than grateful to do so…

~*~*~

Gojyo was, thankfully, back at home with Hakkai, and bandage-less. Sliding his warmer hands over freezing ones, the man took in that ethereal aroma of Hakkai – it was very much like the chemicals he worked with, mixed amid human oils and the scent of starched lab coats right after ironing. 

"You should have waited for me to bring an umbrella, instead of getting yourself wet out there," Gojyo said, wrapping his arms around Hakkai's waist snugly. His hair fell across shivering shoulders. Hakkai nuzzled his head at the crook of Gojyo's neck, realizing, in the process, that there were two livid scars across his left cheek. He didn't bother asking about that. 

"I wanted to reach home as soon as possible," Hakkai replied coyly, "to see you," he added smilingly. It made Gojyo's legs turn to jelly and send his heart melting like boiling butter. "I'll be expecting a guest tonight, Gojyo. Remember that blond guy…?"

Gojyo grunted. He obviously still loathed the man for injuring his shoulder. "I can't _believe _you still insist on letting him come. What's with you, Hakkai?"

"Well," he began with a tone that reminded Gojyo of a mischievous child when bringing up an excuse, "he has the scroll. He hid it. He refused to tell the police where he discarded the thing, but I believe he'll tell us."

"And maybe we'll even take him with us to Chou An," Gojyo finished the sentence with slight mockery. 

Hakkai looked up, eyes shining with that innocent shimmer that never failed to make Gojyo fall for him again. 

"Oh no you don't… you _can't_! He's too dangerous, Hakkai! Think of the consequences for once! Oh gods… you're _not _taking him with us! I won't let you! Look at what he did to my shoulder, for heaven's sake! He'll probably kill the both of us once he's done stealing every other valuable object in Chou An! You just _can't_…"

_No… not the frigging puppy dog eyes… NO! Damn you, Hakkai!_

"…… Whatever," Gojyo sighed, defeated. He was rewarded with a little peck on his cheek. Hakkai always had a way of winning over him, especially at poker. 

"Chou An?" a deep, and frighteningly familiar voice announced the presence of the expected guest. The man emerged from the shadowed corner of the room, gripping a rolled-up scroll. "Why take _me _there? What's in it for you?" 

"You freak me out, dude!" Gojyo got up abruptly, sending Hakkai tumbling back inelegantly to the floor. "Firstly, I dunno _how _the hell you got in here! Secondly, it's _rude _to butt yourself into other people's privacy!"

"Hn… Privacy?" Sanzo replied silkily. "I suggest you better teach your professor friend here the basics…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gojyo retorted. Hakkai held his arm to silence him. 

"I presume you entered using that same entrance you used that night, and I know I took something valuable from some forbidden place… that's the very reason why you're here – to tell me who it belongs to. I'll appreciate your help--"

The stolen scroll bounded off Hakkai's arm-shielded face and rolled away. Hakkai was slightly shocked and disheartened by the action. Frowning, he took the scroll up, walking away to place it somewhere else. Gojyo, obviously, was furious by now. _How dare he make Hakkai sad!? The bloody prick! _Sanzo caught both arms that were aiming for his neck, twisting the right into an awkward position. Gojyo controlled his yelps of pain and managed to squirm his way out of the assassin's grip. 

"That was good," Sanzo said, licking his lips as though he were referring to a meal. "But not good enough for me, you overprotective piece of shit! Move over so that I could see the professor!"

"Hah! Like I'll comply! Look, I won't do anything for a man, no matter how good-looking they are, so fuck off!"

Sanzo chuckled. He was sure he'd heard that remark from somewhere before. "Whatever. Just forget it! Look, professor – Cho Hakkai – that _is _your name, isn't it? I've returned your precious, precious scroll, so you'll leave me alone, won't you?"

"You're lucky Hakkai's so nice to let you off like this!" Gojyo was getting on Sanzo's sensitive nerves. "If I were him, I'd send you back to prison!"

"Why prison? I have proof that what I did was in the name of self-defense… not that _you _know anything about that, do you? After all, you're such a witless--"

"Gojyo's anything but witless," a timid but steady voice said from the table. "I think _you're _the witless one. Killing three people in one night alone? One death was said to be out in the open. Were you out of your mind? Not that _I _care at the very least, but you're definitely incapable of saving your own ass. Mind you, I remember that night when your _lover _had to come in and save you--"

"He wasn't there to _save _me, you wretched son of a bitch!" Sanzo hissed. 

Hakkai, seemingly more placid than before, smoothed the scroll out on the table. "Whatever. Just be sure to control your anger before you arrive at my house next time, Sanzo."

"There'll be a next time?" 

"Shush, Gojyo. Now, as I was saying… I'll appreciate it very much if you helped me find the owner of this, Genjo Sanzo, because I see a deeper reason for your stealing the sutra… and it wasn't for your boss, was it? It had something to do with you, and that's why you kept it. Am I right so far?" 

Sanzo grunted, and Hakkai took that as an unmistakably rude replacement for the word 'yes'. "Well… I suppose you know who this belongs to?"

"It belongs to Chou An," Sanzo replied coldly. "And you took it from her. I only wanted to return it, but I think I'd rather not waste my time for a freaking piece of paper. I have a life."

"What a gentleman you are, Mister Sanzo!" Gojyo mocked. He was silenced immediately when he found the mouth of a gun in front of his face. 

"Don't make me waste my bullets on your already rotting flesh."

"Relax! Both of you! Just be still for a few seconds and let me continue…"

_An hour ago, at Goku's house… bedroom, to be exact…_

"Tell me," Sanzo began, stroking the bare back with gentleness reserved for activities such as this. "Remember you told me once about this friend you got rid of…? How did you get rid of the body? You don't mind me asking, do you?"

"N-no," Goku muttered timidly. "I – I… _we _were out of country then…"

"Did you know Shien was following you?" 

"Not at all. We were having loads of fun… I couldn't think of anything else. He… tried to kill me… when we were on tour…" Goku clutched Sanzo's left hand for some sort of security. The older man squeezed the slender fingers and kissed them slowly. 

"In your own time," he said softly. 

"…… We were on tour, of this weird ruin they called – I can't remember properly – the… the Temple of the Setting Sun, I think. Yeah… he tried, but I attacked in self-defense. Gosh… I didn't know what I was doing! I – I dumped the body somewhere in the ruins… I can't remember where…"

"Temple of the Setting Sun?" Somehow, that really rang a bell. "Where is this place? It sounds familiar."

"… In Chou An, I think."

**A/n: **Yes, I believe I said the stolen weapons have a role in this, and they still do, although they're not mentioned in this chapter – yet. 

**What to be expected in the next chapter: **Five words: Chou An, here we come!!! Ooo… but we all know _I _won't make this journey be as simple as that… *evil sneer* 


	9. Chapter 8: Passion

**A/n: **GOMEN NASAI for updating ever SO late!!! I've been busy with school work. The stuff comes every single day… I can't take it. *sigh* I really dunno how many chapters this fic will have…

Believe me, almost everything will be revealed in the last chapter. Eh…no, I haven't really planned it out smoothly yet, but I have a good outline of what will happen. I shouldn't say much at this point. Been thinking a lot on this chapter… there's this little scene with Sanzo and Kougaiji which spoils a part in the original plot, but that's okay. I've patched it up… o~kay…I think I shouldn't have told you that…****

**Once Forgotten **_by real-circus_

**Chapter 8: Passion **

"Relax! Both of you! Just be still for a few seconds and let me continue…"

Gojyo looked away from the fiery glare, arms crossed over his chest. Sanzo, with a faint 'hmph!', turned away too, tucking the newly-bought revolver into his jacket. 

Hakkai scratched his chin. "Eh…I seemed to have forgotten what I was about to say…"

"Hakkai…" Gojyo moaned. 

"While you think about that, let _me _tell you a little something I found out," Sanzo said softly, strumming his fingers against the polished wood of Hakkai's study table. "I'm not an assassin for nothing, Misters Sha Gojyo and Cho Hakkai. And being an assassin means that I have almost every drop of information about my victims… and I have enough shit about _you_, professor Hakkai, that you aren't _really _professor _Hakkai_…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gojyo shut his mouth again when Hakkai clamped a hand down on his right arm. 

"Go on," he said throatily. 

"It seems to me that you've got a very – how should I put it? – _interesting _past… eh, Cho _Gonou_?"

And Sanzo couldn't help but grin grimly as the professor's eyes widened at the sound of his former name. The name he pushed away into non-existence for the sake of saving his own life. _Cho Gonou. _And he'd thought after three eventless years, the name would be forgotten – just a reminder of his previous self and the sins he committed in his rage. Hakkai was a new person, a new _life, _for him to make up with. 

When Sanzo uttered the words 'Cho Gonou', Hakkai knew he was going to go down. All defense and barriers that were put up now crumbled into oblivion. He was practically helpless to his own inescapable past. 

"Cho Gonou," he muttered shakily, "no longer resides in me… Cho Gonou," a deep breath here, "does not exist anymore." Hakkai allowed himself a small chuckle that made him seem like a lunatic. 

"Hakkai?" Gojyo asked cautiously. "You okay?"

"You have _no right _to bring up my past," Hakkai mumbled, squeezing the hem of his coat. "That was forgotten. How you managed to know this, I don't want to hear. It has _nothing _to do with the situation now, Genjo Sanzo. So, I'll appreciate it very much if you'd _shut the fuck UP _about this."

Oh dear. The horror of non-Hakkai-ness. 

"Heh… running away from your past now, aren't you?" Sanzo's grin dropped to a frown. "Maybe you should tell your lover here what you did to end you up in such a--"

Sanzo fell back, slamming against the hard of a desk. Hakkai winced slightly, rubbing his raw knuckles where he'd just punched the man. That could have been, like, the first time he boxed someone. The need to apologize came to him automatically, but he shut his mouth in time. 

"Hakkai…" 

Gojyo hesitated, reaching out a hand to his friend. He immediately withdrew it when Hakkai whirled around, striding to where the sutra lay, unrolled. 

"Please," he began, his back towards the other two men. "I don't want… any violence anymore…" Sanzo snorted. "Maybe we should forget about deciphering the scroll for tonight. Whatever that my correspondent found in Chou An should be able to shed some light… perhaps… perhaps you both should start packing something. Do be ready by morning. We meet here, at nine. I booked three tickets for the ship sailing to Chou An at ten."

~*~*~*~*~

Kougaiji angrily stuffed a pile of private documents back into the shelf, labeled 'C'. Locking it again, he tossed the key to an expressionless Dokugaiji. "That bloody _asshole_!" he spluttered furiously, pushing past Doku with his file of papers and down the passage between towering shelves. "Not only did he not complete the assassination, but he got himself _landed in jail _and _now _he's fucking _working _for this professor Cho Hakkai! Oh. And did I mention he's got that _brat_ Son Goku as his little fuck toy!?"

"Calm down, Kou. He's not working for the guy – not yet, at least. And that kid… wasn't he the kid Nataku was supposed to assassinate?"

"Exactly my point! And Sanzo's there to protect his sorry ass now, so we've got little chances of gaining what we want…"

The two halted in front of the shelf labeled 'S'. After ten minutes of flipping through senseless papers and photos, they found what they were looking for. "Got it," Kougaiji said, tucking the file under an arm. "Now then, we've just got to target the professor and his friend… _and _that kid. But we won't kill the kid just yet. He's got something fishy about him… if Nataku couldn't take him down, something just _has _to be very wrong."

"What do you propose we do then?"

Kougaiji slammed the filed information onto his desk, sending a paper or two floating away from its place. "…We lay low for a while. The police will be breathing down our necks… we wait… wait till they return from Chou An, then we strike."

"Chou An? How did you know they were going to Chou An?"

Kougaiji seemed to be doing some hard thinking while his eyes bored into his companion's calmly. "A spy told me so," he replied, and that was perfectly true. 

~*~*~*~*~

He was gone an hour before, and now he was back. Goku _trusted _him to come back… and that imagine of a few nights back just refused to go away, although it only appeared for a fleeting second then. Now, it seemed like it was stretched over a movie screen in his mind, playing over and over, just like a film, and it usually came at the most inappropriate of times… like when they were in bed, _very _preoccupied. The sun, the strange billowing robes, the concealed face, the extended hand… he had tried to reach out to touch the stranger too, and had failed. And _that _often caused him to jolt back to reality with a start. 

When Sanzo felt the sudden heavy tugging on his hair, he looked up, eyes sleepy and panting wildly. He shot Goku a baleful stare which made the boy turn away. Sanzo cupped a sweat and tear-stained cheek, roughly bringing the head up to meet his lips – hard. The pure rapture of it almost made Goku choke to death. They parted for a short breath of air before crushing their lips ruthlessly against each other's. 

Sanzo flopped down next to Goku, pulling the slight figure on top of him. "Will we pretend this never happened… again?" Goku asked, thoughtful for once. 

"You _are _stupid," Sanzo remarked. But there was no straight, definite answer from him. "But don't get all mad and teary when I have to leave…"

"You have to leave?"

"…Business… you know what I do." Sanzo had contemplated on this for a really long time, and decided that it would be… _fun _to visit his should-be-furious-with-him-by-now boss. After all, it was the big guy's birthday. "And maybe you can come with me…" Now _that _certainly would make it more _fun. _

~*~*~*~*~

Alright, so maybe getting roaring drunk and ending up picking up a fight with a group of rowdy gangsters wasn't his idea of a happy birthday… but hey, it was a good experience for all. Chin Isou had a laugh, he seemed to be the only one having fun. Dokugaiji and Yaone were too busy dragging Kou all around town… a happy birthday indeed. Well, until… 

"Kou, stay here," Doku said, as though addressing a child – a very drunk and a-little-_too_-happy child. "Yaone will get Chin back and I'll go get the car, alright? Just – just hold onto that lamppost and don't let go until I get back here with the car."

"Oh – hic – fine…"

Ten minutes passed, and all Kougaiji felt like doing was to slump down on the pavement and take a snooze, which wasn't a very good idea as he'd probably get robbed while asleep… but he wasn't very ready for who he met that night…

"You look sleepy, birthday boy," Sanzo said softly. Kou could have given the guy a punch right there and then but the beer was getting to him. His arms felt heavier than before. "Surprised? You shouldn't be. After all, I'm only here to give you your birthday present." In a swift, fluent movement, Kougaiji was hauled into an alley, where a black car was parked. 

"Is this it? The present?" Kou asked, slightly dizzy. 

"No, dumb ass." With his back resting on the car door, Sanzo pulled Kougaiji closer… and fucking _kissed _him. Kou's head exploded and his groin sent hungry flames down to his arousal almost immediately. Sanzo's foot trailed a teasing line up and down Kougaiji's thigh, and Kou didn't know what to do, for the first time in his independent life – to pull out his gun and shoot the bastard in the head, or fuck him to the ground, which seemed fairly easier. 

Sanzo broke the lip-lock, gasping as hard as Kou. "Nope… _I _am the present. Happy Birthday, big guy." 

Grinning, Kou entered the car with Sanzo tugging at his collar. He was too distracted with the tangle of his body around one of his assassin's that he didn't notice the car was moving to the other end of town. 

"Wha –?" 

"Shh…" Sanzo tied the two wrists together with the prepared nylon rope. "Doesn't it make it more fun, Kougaiji-sama?" 

Kou settled into a more comfortable position and licked Sanzo's cheek like a hungry kitten. Sanzo was sure he'd made a sound – but he wasn't even sure if it was a sound, a choke, or even a yelp. He didn't care now. Kougaiji was in the moving car, so nothing else bothered him. 

"Hmm… Sanzo… you're looking beautiful tonight." And Kou swore he managed to catch that dangerous glint in the sultry, violet gaze before Sanzo's foot collided with his chest, painfully shoving him to the far end of the seat. 

"Wrong word," Sanzo replied shortly, adjusting his clothes and sitting away from him. 

"Aw, fuck it, Sanzo!" 

"Goku! Drive faster!" Sanzo gave the driver's seat a good rap. 

"Goku?" Kougaiji echoed stupidly. "GOKU!? FUCK you, Sanzo!" He struggled desperately for his gun but it proved rather useless with both his hands bound together. As though knowing Kou's intentions, Sanzo lifted a familiar golden gun and twirled it around his forefinger playfully. "Fuck. You." Kou repeated, obviously losing his cool. 

~*~*~*~*~

"Hakkai…" In Gojyo's mind, words were frantically finding a way to sort themselves out, but as usual, to no avail. "Well… uh, you know, I was… thinking… that – that something Blondie mentioned just now… something… about a Cho Gonou or something like that…uh, heh – the name doesn't suit you one bit though…" 

"That's why I got rid of it," Hakkai replied stiffly, putting on a very fake attempt of one of his best smiles. "I-it was… was… oh whatever, let's just drop it for tonight, alright Gojyo? I'm not in the mood for…" 

And he was off, just like that. 

Hakkai's hand phone went off, and he rushed back to his room to answer it. He'd been waiting for ever so long… "It's you!" he exclaimed, shutting the door. "I've been wanting answers for a long time now…" 

 **A/n: **Sorry for the chapter being SO short……..I just had to stop somewhere and I'm rather busy with school work and tests…… and sorry for Sanzo being really sluttish here….I gotta stop watching all these vile, crime stuff……I kinda got stuck in this chapter, explaining the delay……GOMEN!!! I know it's short, please put up with it for now ^^;; Should have a lot of errors here cos I did not check it at all…forgive me. 

 **What to be expected in next chapter: **Hakkai, Gojyo and Sanzo reach Chou An by ship… there are no airports in Chou An, so there. The stolen weapons will be coming later…… and the three find something at the ruins of the Temple which could lead to more questions… Oh yeah, and that someone Hakkai was talking to on his mobile – he/she will be revealed much later. 

**Thanks for reviewing (in no particular order): **

**sanzo-chan****, Namassuki, aspara, Ami, gallatica, Windy Hurrice & bleit  **^__^ 


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